Chapter 332 Her Mother
Twenty-three years ago.
Upper West Side.
Amidst the towering skyscrapers, employees hustled about in an orderly manner.
Suddenly, the sound of high heels echoed, catching everyone's attention.
A graceful young woman, dressed in black business attire, walked by.
A gentle smile graced her face, and her eyes, filled with a warm amber light, exuded a soothing aura like a spring breeze.
Her stunning beauty was unforgettable.
She was one of the most celebrated socialites of the Upper West Side, the pride and joy of the Wright family, Shirley Wright.
"Good morning, Ms. Wright!"
"Morning, Shirley!" Shirley nodded to each of them, carrying many exquisite small gift bags, which she personally handed out to everyone, not letting other employees distribute them.
"You've all worked hard. Take a break and enjoy some snacks."
"Thank you!" Seeing the joy on everyone's faces, Shirley couldn't help but smile.
Shirley took the elevator upstairs.
She pushed open the door and entered.
"Father." Kenneth Wright, seated in his office chair with reading glasses perched on his nose, looked up.
Kenneth squinted at her and quickly waved her over, saying," Come here."
Shirley walked over gracefully and sat elegantly across from him,saying,"Father, you called me over so urgently. Is there something important?"
"Of course!" Kenneth, whose hair was starting to turn gray, pushed a stack of photos towards her.
"Take a look. Do you fancy any of them?"
Shirley was puzzled and said, "What is this?"
"Shirley, you're twenty-four this year. It's time to find a companion," Kenneth said.
Kenneth quickly picked out a few photos and placed them in front of her, saying, "Look at these people from the White family and the Curtis family. They are all quite handsome."
"Especially the Curtis family." Kenneth patted her hand and continued, "The Curtis family still has a youngest son who isn't married. With the Wright family's current status, matching with the Curtis family is more than suitable."
Shirley shook her head decisively and said, "I'm not ready to think about that yet."
"Just get to know them first," Kenneth gently suggested.
Shirley lightly held his hand and said coquettishly, "Do you really want me to get married so soon? I 've just graduated not even two years ago. Can't I spend more time with you and Mom?"
"You silly girl, of course, your lifelong happiness is my priority. If you marry well, I'll be happy for the rest of my life!"
"But I don't want to date. I don't like it."
"Alright, alright. If you find someone you like, I'll be fine with it!"
After chatting with Kenneth, Shirley left the office.
However, as she approached the elevator, her high heel slipped. Shirley lost control and stumbled forward.
But instead of experiencing the expected pain, she felt an arm wrap around her slender waist.
Shirley quickly stood up, her cheeks slightly flushed. She said, "Thank you."
The man in front of her looked honest, dressed in a janitor's uniform.
He pointed to the bucket and mop nearby and said,."Didn't you see the sign over there? The floor was just mopped, and I was about to clean it."
"You should be careful walking in high heels."
Shirley nodded. "I understand. I'll be more careful next time."Her gaze swept over the badge hanging around the man's neck,Mike Weaver.
After parting ways with Mike, Shirley returned to her office to continue working.
By the time she came to her senses, it was already dark.
Shirley stretched and checked the time.
"It's already ten o'clock." She muttered and stood up. Then she tidied up briefly.
As she pushed open the door, darkness enveloped her.
"Why did the power suddenly go out?" Shirley murmured and quickly took a flashlight from her bag and headed towards the elevator.
But she found that without power, the elevator was naturally out of service.
"Over twenty floors, this..."
Shirley glanced at her high heels, not anticipating this situation.
"I should keep a pair of flats here for emergencies. It's not convenient to use the stairs in these," she muttered to herself.
After a low grumble, Shirley entered the emergency stairwell.
In the pitch-black space,there was only the beam from her flashlight .
After descending over ten floors, Shirley felt a bit tired and decided to find an employee area to rest.
She noticed a figure moving by the window, illuminated by the moonlight.
"Who's there?"Startled, Shirley took a few steps back, fearing she had encountered something frightening.
"Ms. Wright?" The voice was familiar.
Soon, the figure approached her.
Shirley realized it was the janitor, Mike, whom she had met earlier that day.
"Why are you still here at this hour?"
"I'm used to it. I clean until this time every day."
Observing her surroundings, Shirley inquired, "Did the circuit breaker trip? How can we get the power back?"
"It happens often. We'll have to wait until the staff comes in tomorrow. I went down once before, but you need a key to access it."
Shirley frowned slightly and said, "Alright, then you shouldn't be mopping either. It's too dark to see anything. What if you get hurt?"
"Thank you. I'll accompany you downstairs. You might be scared alone."
"Okay."They walked one behind the other.
Shirley found it difficult to walk in her high heels, and her heels were starting to blister, leading to some pain.
Mike noticed her discomfort and said, "Ms. Wright, would you like me to carry you down?"
The sudden offer startled Shirley, and she looked away nervously. "That wouldn't be appropriate."
"It's fine. No one will know." Mike quickly stepped forward and squatted in front of Shirley, turning back with a sincere, broad smile, looking somewhat simple-minded. He said, "Please, get on."
After waiting for a while without any movement from Shirley, Mike seemed to realize something and hastily took off his janitor's uniform. He said,"Ms. Wright, I just put this on today. It's definitely clean!"
Shirley quickly explained, "No, no, that's not what I meant."
After a moment's hesitation, she climbed onto his back.
As Mike lifted her, his hands unavoidably brushed against her smooth legs.
For a moment, he felt a bit distracted.
Mike descended over ten floors in one go.
He wasn't even out of breath!
"You have great stamina," Shirley genuinely praised.
Mike scratched his head and said, "I grew up in the countryside, helping my mom with farm work since I was a kid. Plus, I clean this entire building every day, so carrying you down is no trouble at all."
Shirley's eyes shimmered with genuine admiration as she commented, "Wow, that's remarkable! No wonder I saw you effortlessly carrying that heavy bucket of water at noon. Very impressive!"
