The Fundamentals of the Wealthy

Fact: Tall People Scare Me

Silence.

Blood pumped through my heart painfully fast, in response to his narrowed gaze. Nothing moved.

Why do I feel like this? I’ve never felt like this before.

It wasn’t like I hoped to ever have my employer see me as anything other than an assistant, anyway. Hell, I already knew the answer. Victoria was a supermodel that made millions off one show, and I was the assistant that worked for him and his family to pay her rent.

“What makes you think I do?” Mr. Raleigh inquired, tilting his head slightly.

The sheer embarrassment of asking such a petulant question caused my innards to roil.

I’m only curious about why he’d like a person like Victoria as a lover.

Maybe it was about looks. Maybe Mr. Raleigh was a gold-digger as well. I didn’t know him well enough to tell, yet.

His mouth was set in into a grim, unforgiving line that slightly drew away from his granite-like, charming features, except...there was a certain change in his expression.

I was too flustered to tell at the moment, as I was also trying to keep down the redness from flushing to my cheeks. I thanked heavens that I was tan enough to cover it up.

“Because you told me you used to like her in high school. I was just asking,” I spluttered, “I guess I curious? Please don’t fire me, I -”

“Why do you think I would fire you over a question?”

I thought my heart stopped working. It felt constricted in my rib cage, pulsing hard in my chest. The silence was unbearable. I took my hands and rung them nervously.

I can’t lose my job, I can’t lose my job, I can’t lose my job - can we just act like I never said anything? Why all the difficult questions?

“I don’t think that! I’m just curious!” I repeated, nervously.

“You just requested me not to fire you. And for lying, and to prove a point, should I fire you? Or are you going to tell me the reason?” Mr. Raleigh leaned onto his desk and propped his head onto one arm, staring expectantly.

I felt backed into a tight corner. No matter how good Mrs. Raleigh’s pay was, there was no way I could sustain paying my rent without this job. And if I got kicked out, Penny would get kicked out. And I have a dog to feed now, too.

I knew I shouldn’t have moved to New York. I knew it. I should’ve just been a strawberry farmer in the mountains or something. I knew it! I knew -

“You’re going to fire me if I don’t tell you?” I squeaked indignantly.

“I will,” Mr. Raleigh responded, coolly. He stood up from the desk and strolled over, standing just three feet away. I felt weak. I wrung my hands out even harder, folding and unfolding them, trying to distract from the tears that threatened to spill.

“Why do you want to know so badly?” I raised a quavering gaze up to his, “Can’t you just - just -”

A burning sensation pricked the corners of my eyes, and I immediately looked away, wiping away the moisture with my sleeves. They wouldn’t stop flowing. In an attempt to recover my dignity, I turned to the side speedily.

“...j-just leave me a-alone?” I hiccuped, backing away from him, “I...I don’t want t-to get fired. I’m sorry I...I asked a st-stupid question.”

And he was quiet.

I sniffled into the sleeve of my sweater and covered my face.

“J-just please don’t fire me. I-I need this - this job.”