Vivian barely came out of her thoughts when she was in shock. Jasper raised a brow before turning to his newspaper and letting her pounder her thoughts.
"Five years," she practically choked. "Why on earth would I want to work like that for five years?"
Jasper chuckled to himself, "I don't see what the great deal is Vivian. You're a poor homeless man, and yet the offer of earning a high paying job without actually doing anything for five years is underneath you." He lowered the newspaper, his head popping out between the folds like a snake out of basket by a tune. "Should you dare even consider my offer, I'll find someone else."
The only part Jasper failed to leave out was the fact that there were no one else left, and Vivian was just the bit of mystery man he needed to shut everybody up and get his way. He was the definition of a snake, and he carried it proudly.
"I-I," Vivian stuttered. "What has Reuben done to cause such infliction upon you?"
"That is none of your business Mr. Smith. And frankly you're too poor and undervalued around these parts to buy an answer out of me. To which I give no intention of offending you, but it is the sad truth that some people live by. You being one of them. "
His was articulating his words, making her feel helpless as much as hopeless all at once.
"I must meet this Reuben of yours," she insisted, leaving out the word 'again'.
"He's not mine, but if you wish. Of course, once you've said yes to my offer."
Vivian did not know what to do. Maybe she could try to change his mind. "But if the proposition even necessary because if I were to remember, you did tell me earlier that you would teach me a few things along the way."
He stared at her through slits. "I'm not telling you anything till you give me your word."
Blast!
Vivian let out a repressed sigh and gazed around the room, filled with painting and certificates and buildings and honorary awards. She had to admit he was very much accomplished like his father. And he was good at isolating people too, for he leaned in imaginably close to Vivian, staring at her with wide- soul wrenching eyes. Reading her to a 'T'.
"You're hesitating."
"No I'm not," she shot back. "Merely concentrating on the details of your small, isolating office."
"Isolating?" he raised a brow. "This is my haven."
"mhmm," Vivian wanted to roll her eyes. "I guess I'll take it."
Jasper looked dissappointment. "You guess?"
"no I mean-"
"good bye," he raised his newspaper over my face.
Unwanted fear coarse through her body at once. "I didn't mean to say guess I'm sorry! the guess was a complement to you. No I didn't say guess, you misheard me. I said yes! yes I say!"
Jasper placed the paper on the desk, amused. "Calm down Will, there's no need for an outburst."
Will? Vivian looked confused. Who's Will?
"You got the job," he reached over to shake her hand. "Congratulations"
Vivian stared at it for a moment. Only business men did handshakes, not the women. She nervously placed her hand against his and felt his cold, firm handshake. Vivian gasped at pulled her hand back. It felt weird.
Jasper frowned. "We'll have to work on that."
Please no.
Vivian's face turned scarlet. Jasper pushed the paper toward her with a pen, "put your signature here below mine. No print." There was a long typed summary above it, which she ignored out of nervousness, signing it right away with a shaky hand.
"Do you have any more questions?" Jasper asked.
"Many," Vivian admitted. "First, I want you to tell me what exactly I'm going to me doing?"
"The basic things of course. I'm a smart man, all you have to do is mimic things and carry out what I tell you. It's clear as day that you lack knowledge of any kind besides reading and writing, oddly, for a man of your age you're way behind. So I have to teach you a few simple vocabulary words and what you should look out for when going to certain, 'meetings'."
"Meetings?"
"Yes," he mused. "You'll be leading most of the conventions that take place, under my order no doubt."
Her eyes widened in horror. "What?"
"That's probably enough for you for today." he sighed, standing up high and tall. "We start working first thing early in the morning, and get dressed, I don't want a messy employee walking about. Don't embarrass me."
"No!" she protested. "You just said you would-"
"Goodnight Mr. Smith," Jasper said, opening the door with a loud creak. "Blow out the candles when you're done in here," and with that he walked out of the office and shuffled away into the darkness.
*********************
A/N - Please vote and comment if you enjoyed this story, share your thoughts (: Thank you for sticking around this long, I promise it's going to get interesting now! stay safe lovely readers c:
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Hiding from Mr. Billionaire
Romance"You cannot fool me, I know who you really are." His hot breath fanned Vivian's lips as she stared into his hooded grey eyes. "And if you don't reveal yourself to me, I shall do it by force" It is the mid-19th century. Despite society's efforts to t...
