⁴ FLEETING DECISIONS ─ the adelaide woods

41 | kunboss - trap?

track #06 in kunboss ryder bailey

newjeans // ditto

FOR SOME reason, everyone keeps avoiding me. I think about what I could've done wrong as I sit with Andy at the café booth, but come up empty as well. I cup my hands around my matcha latte, just as a blonde woman appears with a purse slung over her shoulder, apologizing for being late – Andy smiles up at her, then quickly rises to his feet and bows at her, and I realize it's Evelyn. I copy Andy's actions at the realization – this must be how they show their respect for their bosses overseas.

She hands me a huge wad of money over the table, and I gasp as I realize how much this is, turning it over in my hands. "This is your salary. Thank you for working so hard," she smiles at the amount, too. "I hope this can help whatever situation you're in right now."

"Thank you- thank you so much. Genuinely. I have no words – just thank you, thank you, thank you," I say, counting the money again in case I'm mistaken. But no – the thousands of dollars are sitting right in front of me, waiting for my hands to touch and use for myself. It's almost as precious as gleaming gold, especially with the Adelaide Woods' tanking economy following James' return. Evelyn nods in acceptance, and I grin gratefully at my first paycheck since I got in touch with her and got my job. To be honest, it's pretty easy to do – but only now that I stare at the money in my hands do I start suspecting something more than just a potential arranged marriage.

Firstly, wouldn't she have reached out to Gwyneth's parents or have Aloysius get to know her in person if he was interested? Why would they need me to tell them of her whereabouts when she can hire me as a vet part-time? Also, Gwyneth's dad has been kidnapped by Byrok...

Did Evelyn and Aloysius really come to the Adelaide Woods from overseas, where Andy used to live, just for the sole purpose of trying to court Gwyneth Anderson? Also, seeing my boss in person, following all the latest fashion trends, I don't think she seems like one for arranged marriage. She's not old, by her looks I'd say she's at most forty-five.

The more I think about it, the more everything about Evelyn and just the jobs overall seem fishy, like a trap set to lure me in. But I take one more look at the fifty hundred-dollar bills pressed into my hands just for texting her four times a day with simple information, and I start thinking about whether it's worth it. If Evelyn really is working for Byrok, would I continue for the large amount of money that she's giving me?

Part of me screams yes. Yes to the fortune I could make, yes to the infinite funds I could provide to my parents. Yes to being able to support a family of my own. Yes to repaying my parents for how hard they worked. Even though I told Gwyn she had to sacrifice, this is way too good to resist, especially when you're in circumstances like mine.

I grew up in the poorer part of town. Zoey and Gwyn's families were well-off, but mine was average at the most. They could afford big houses that had more than enough space, and the renovations were anyone's dream. But things like the newest gadgets never got to me, and I only saw them through the eyes of a bystander as I watched Tristan and Aiden, who were pretty rich, use them. I understood how much my parents worked just to feed us, and so I never complained about the environments we were living in, as long as I had a roof over my head, education, and decent things to eat. But every time I had a sleepover at my friends' house and had to walk back to mine, the white cobblestone concrete path which always seemed so clean transitioning to the old brick path which looked like it hadn't been properly dusted in years; the roofs going from fancy to worn-down, almost broken; there were some even poorer people in my neighbourhood, almost living in what seemed like slums. It was a drastic, huge change.

I took a student grant – that's what helped me get through secondary school and into college. My parents didn't have to pay school fees as long as I got decent grades – but that naturally meant that I couldn't have much opportunities besides academics.

The world of rich people seemed almost foreign to me. As much as I knew Zoey and Gwyn's parents loved me like I was their own son, part of me understood that they were only like that to me because they and my parents were best friends. If they weren't – I saw myself as just a mischievous, poor boy through their eyes. If I were Tommy and Angela Anderson; or Savio and Sabrina Sinclair, I wouldn't let my child go near Kunboss Ryder Bailey, or his parents. Perfectly understandable.

I guess that's why I still haven't taken action about confessing to Zoey. I knew I didn't deserve a girl like her. She was worthy of so much more.

Living in a big, fancy house for the past five years with all of my friends has more or less taken its effect on me – I still saw myself as the poor boy who needed a glow-up. I slowly morphed into someone who didn't really care about his parents. That's why my personality began to change when I turned sixteen – and it was too good for me to ever turn back. I slowly became popular at school, but started neglecting that my parents needed help, too. Our calls lasted none but two seconds, mostly me cutting the call off because I was 'busy'. I had changed more than I ever wanted to admit.

But the other part of me screams no. It screams that I should stay loyal – if not to Gwyn, then to our cause, and to the girl that I loved.

Either way, I knew I'd be stuck in the middle of the crossfire between Gwyn and James if Evelyn really was working for him. The matter was whether I'd choose to stand on James' side, or Gwyn's. Neither would benefit me.

Thinking about it – if I chose to stand on James' side, all my friends would call me a traitor. Our relationships would break, and it would be endgame for the rest of my life. I would be lonely and friendless. But I'd be alive, and I'd have my parents, and money I've never had.

If I chose Gwyn, I'd be fighting with all my friends. But I'd lose the money – and I'd lose the thing I promised my parents I'd help them with no matter what. I could possibly get myself killed betraying my boss.

There stood the question. Would I stand with Rochbok, or the Adelaide Woods? I guess if you had asked me this question the day it was announced that James was coming back, I'd say the Adelaide Woods for sure. But now... I'm not sure, especially since I got the money from Evelyn. And for such a simple job.

I find myself asking, Would Zoey approve? And I know for sure, definitely her answer would be no. Would Gwyneth approve? No. Would my parents approve? Hmm... probably not. But they need this, so I'm going to give it to them.

I guess it depends. I still don't know if Evelyn is working for Byrok. I guess until then, I'll wait and see.

When I get out of my daze, Evelyn and Andy are gone, and I'm sitting there on the plush chair, five thousand dollars pressed into my palm, staring and gaping at it. So it wasn't a dream after all, and Evelyn had really dished out for my wages.

Zoey wouldn't want you to. Zoey wouldn't approve.

But if I get richer... would this make me enough for Zoey? Would it make me enough, to the point where I don't need to spend every minute I'm with her staring? Would it make me enough for her to finally consider?

I don't think I'll ever be enough – so I need to make myself enough. To be honest, ever since that last failed confession that Gwyneth interrupted halfway through, I'm not sure if I'll have the courage to do it a second time. My feelings for her can't be put into words. But nevertheless, I know she'll always understand everything I say – even though helping James may be unjustifiable.

I walk, hood covering my eyes, down the stone path once again, and once I reach home, Zoey and Gwyn are nowhere to be seen. Good. I take the stairs to my room, step by step, and sit down at my desk, pulling out a piece of lined paper from my desk drawer, as I've seen Cadence do one too many times.

Dear Zoey,

You'll be reading this once you become my girlfriend. Hopefully you say yes, because I can't even describe how I feel looking at you from across the room. 

– a/n : i hope u loved this chapter, bonus for the compensation ;) 

how do you think the story's gonna continue?