Hiding from Mr. Billionaire

37 Hard Life

Ever since Vivian's last confrontation with Reuben they didn't dare speak to each other. The only time they spoke was when he had too teach her something, and even then, it was very slow and tedious. Obviously Reuben wanted to keep her dumb enough for his own sake...so it seemed.

Jasper on the other hand was a brute.

Such a brute, in fact, that for the first time all of his father's employees pitied Vivian for being his co-partner.

Yelling was a common occurrence in the Wright household. Vivian wept in tears of frustration ever time Jasper barked at information and tried to nail it in her head. She thought she would be intrigued about all the information before, but now it was just pure torture. It didn't seem fun anymore. Though, Vivian pushed herself very hard, and was eventually able to get annoyed rather than phased with his incentive demands. Not to say she didn't think about slapping him upside the face a couple times per day. 

Vivian's coworkers didn't blame her either. 

Even Agatha, who seemed to disappear even more and more during late night dinners from time to time.

"You're getting better," Jasper said one day on the porch, holding a pipe in hand. "I thought you would never learn anything. I was starting to get...annoyed. Since this wasn't what I had planned originally. "

Vivian rolled her eyes, up until recently she'd never been up close with a man who had a pipe that wasn't her father. Nor did she ever get invited to take a snuff. It wasn't what the woman did. Gentlemen won't allowed to be so bold about it either.

"Maybe you're right. I'm a lost cause," Vivian mocked.

Jasper looked back calmly, clearing not getting what she hinted at.

"The day a man starts believe he is one, is when he becomes one." He said, bringing the pipe up to his lips. "If you ask me you did considerable well considering your circumstances. And if you're able to achieve this, I have tremendous faith that one day you'll be able to do anything you set your mind too. Even if it means pretending to run this company. Hell, maybe you could start your own in another civilization far far away from here.  Since competition is tight here already."

Vivian was a woman, and was told consistently back home that it wasn't proper to mess in anything that didn't revolve around the husband or family. To think Jasper could bring up was seemed like a silly concept of doing something so independently, brought hope into her life. 

Of course being a man all her life didn't fit into any of those categories, but maybe Vivian was beginning to consider it.

"You really think I can do anything I set my mind too?" she asked distantly.

Jasper glanced at the blank look on her face before turning back toward the large garden.

"Don't take it heart," Jasper grumbled. "I had the maids set up your room while we were gone. Get some rest and we'll continue this in the morning."

"But it's the weekend," Vivian protested.

"Only dimwits relax on weekends," he crackled. "We're hosting a party, business men only. All the women will be in the other room socializing. They can't get enough of that. Anyway, now that you know the basics this should be easy."

"What should be easy?"

"Selling yourself," he quipped.

Vivian's eyes widened with horror. "PARDON?"

He turned back to her with a serious look. "Don't get stupid on me now. The more we sell ourselves to people the more we're able to get more influence on others and build relationships. Do you know was relationships lead too?"

Vivian shook her head in confusion.

"Investments! they lead to more investments!"

"Oh," she closed her eyes and sighed with relief. "Oh my...I don't, I mean, I'm not well equip-"

"Nonsense!" Jasper said. "With the basics I taught you, you could be able to reason with them without getting frustrated like Reuben and I do."

Vivian narrowed her eyes. "What are you talking about? I get frustrated with you all the time!"

"Exactly!" He announced with what she could've sworn to be an evil gleam in his eye. "The more we build connections, the better off we'll be than any other company in the city."

"But-"

"No more questions or buts, get back inside and rest while your still able too," he ordered. "We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

"Everyday is a big day," Vivian mumbled to herself when Jasper refused to hold the door out for her.

*********************

A/N - thank you so much for 1.5k reads! sorry these updates are more spaced out than usually. I'll be trying to update two times a week from now on. So appreciative of you all, stay safe (: sorry for grammar errors and writing errors I will correct it once I'm finished with the story.