Chapter 28

Edwards’ eyes went wide “How did you know?” he asked probably thinking I am a mind reader. 
“My brother, Kevin: he used to write to me about a friend of his called Josh. I never knew he was this Swift.” I finally gave him an answer. 
We were both stunned. The world truly is a small place. I was so shocked, I was looking for something to have in common with him but this was not what I expected. His frown turned upside down. Considering that two of the most important peoples in our lives knew each other was mind blowing. His once pushed together eyebrows are now far apart. And I see his teeth. Pointing to the chair across from him he told me to take a seat. As soon as I sat down he started talking. 
“Look Ms….” He didn’t know my last name “Jona” I told him. He continued “Ms. Jona, I am happy to have met the sister of the man my son has written to me about, but my mind on investing in DC has not changed.” 
I cut him off “You have decided not to invest because you have judge DC through just the representatives that had been sent to you. Earlier you said that you liked MWDs’ work ethic and I really disagreed with you. As I mentioned this morning I actually worked at MWD. I quit my job there because of my boss. He was so mean to me that I represented him for what the company stood for. I thought that MWD was as irresponsible and as arrogant as my boss but I was wrong. Today I read MWDs’ magazine and I realized that I judge them way too soon, just like how you are judging DC.” 
He didn’t cut me off this time so I continued “DC has been in business for six generations. And every time a new Davis takes over, the company doesn’t hit a stagnated moment, it just continues on going higher. DC is the kind of company that gives their employees time off on Christ mass so we can spend our holydays with our families. And do you know what is even crazier, at those times they give their employees time off the company doesn’t even suffer a little bit of setbacks. That is how much our company had prospered. DC is scouting new construction sites to continue on expanding in more countries over sea. I am not going to lie to you and say that our company would be lost without your investment, but it would be an honor to work with someone like you sir.” 
I handed him a chart that showed the work and progress of DC in every single branches they owned and explained to him that we were truly a company suitable for anyone to work with. I didn’t need to say more because the chart spoke for its’ self. 
After I was done Edward took his time to speak. “I have to say, no one has ever preached DC as well as you did. I am going to need to go to the company to see everything with my own eyes” he stood up and threw his right hand in my direction “It will be my pleasure to work with you.” 
I stood up and shook his hand with both of mine and smiled ear to ear like a child while giggling. I was going to leave but Edward Swift insisted I stay for dinner. After an amazing T-bone steak and a glass of apple juice I set out for home. It was a Saturday so I was considered to be out of work after 12:00 PM but I have been working all day. 
On my way home I stopped by at MCs’ house to say hi. Things at her house have not been so well. As soon as I walked in she started complaining about how miserable she is. 
“I just can’t stand them.” she complained “He has been spending more nights here than he did when they were married. They are practically living together.” 
“Have you realized that these days you are turning in to me?” I said “You have been complaining just as much as I do.” 
She gave me a serious look and said “I have really decided to get my own place and I am going to need a roommate to help me with the rent. Have you considered my offer about moving in with me?” 
“Are you serious? I thought you were just joking about that.” 
“I am serious all right.” she answered. 
“MC I am sorry but I don’t have any interest in moving out of my house.” 
The next day I was asked to come to the office. I didn’t work on Sundays but I went anyway. I was called because of Edward Swift and the successful hunt I had. Shawns’ father: the chairman himself congratulated me on the success and told me a reward was in order. While Oliver got punished for leaving that day for personal reasons, I was gifted with a big fat cheque as commission for my hard work. 
Edward himself was there that day and told everyone present at that time about how I forced my way in to his study by refusing to get out and sleeping right there on the floor in front of his study. 
Now; the rumor they started about me was about how Oliver convinced Edward Swift to work with DC and I got all the credit and the big fat cheque got handed to me because I was dating the boss. They completely don’t know how I slept on the floor of Edwards’ house until they let me in. They forgot how badly every employee that went to convince Edward Swift failed to complete the job. 
These days they don’t even go to the restroom to gossip. They just do it right there in the middle of the office. I was passing by the break room and heard my name in the middle of their conversation. 
“I heard Oliver was the one who brought Edward Swift to DC and that she took all credit.” 
“I heard that too.” the rest of the group would agree. 
“I heard a way different story.” said the other one. The rest of the group leaned in to listen to her. 
In a whispering voice she said “I heard that she slept with him.” 
“With Mr. Davis?” asked one of them. 
“No” she said “Edward Swift.” 
They all dropped their jaws. She continued “I heard that she convinced him by actually sleeping with him. In fact someone told me that Edward Swift came by last Sunday and told everybody why he decided to invest. It is not our company he is after. It is not our company he is interested in.” 
“Wow” they all started to say. 
I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t sleep with him; I slept on the floor so that they would let me in. Who the hell would twist the story in to this kind of a rumor? I can feel my eyes watering up. I can’t go in there and defend myself because I am sure I would make it worse. And I know I can’t cry here and that I need to run before someone sees my tears flowing down my cheeks. 
I turned around to run away and locked eyes with Shawn who was coming to the break room. As soon as we locked eyes he smiled and I let my tears out without fighting them back in. For some reason I felt disgusted. Everything they have been talking about me made me sick of Shawn and myself. I turned to the other direction and ran because I just didn’t have the energy to talk to anyone. 
I took the elevator to the roof top but just a few floors away from the stairway to the roof top the elevator stopped. I was looking forward to the isolated roof top to ball my eyes out but the broken elevator will do. The elevator was stuck for about an hour so it gave me plenty of time to calm myself. My face usually swells up when I cry so the elevator bought me some time for my face to return to its normal size and shape. 
After I got out I made sure that there was no opportunity for me and Shawn to run in to each other. I know that he can’t do anything about it but I still felt like he had to do everything about it. I left for home and took a cab. I told the driver to stop just a few blocks away from my house so I can think as I walk.                                          
I thought about how much my job means to me. I thought about how much Shawn means to me. I thought about what would happen if I kept on dating Shawn. I thought about what would happen if I broke up with Shawn. 
Both my job and Shawn meant a lot to me. If I kept on dating Shawn then I will get nowhere in my career. And if I break up with Shawn I won’t be able to work a 100% because it would be too weird and awkward between me and my boss. It felt like I was being crushed in between these two ideas like a sandwich. 
As I was getting close to my house I saw my dad just few steps away from our front door. He was standing to the left of the house and was taking off his sneakers and wearing flip-flops that he took out of a black bag. He took off his shirt and wore his pajamas. After he was fully changed in to his regular cloth he placed his fancy ones’ in to the black bag and went in to the house. 
One of my many questions got answered. The reason dad had another cloth in his black bag was because he was changing in to it when he goes out and changes back in to his normal cloth when he comes back home. My next question would be ‘Where the hell has he been going to?’ 
I walked in and saw him sitting in his spot. I walked closer and asked without greeting him “Where were you today?” 
He looked up in a straight face and answered “I was here all day.” he lied without even blinking. 
“Are you sure?” I asked him. I felt like I was a mother who caught her sons’ face covered with sprinkles and he was the son who swore he didn’t eat any sprinkles. Even though I can see the black bag next to him like the mother would see the obvious mess of sprinkles on her sons’ face, I decided to let it go just until I can know exactly why he was lying to me. 
But that night I couldn’t sleep. I had too much in my head. My job, my boyfriend, my dad, my friend and her family issues everything has been bottling up. Why have our lives changed like this? 
I may not have any answers for my problems but I needed to figure out the deal with my dad. So the next morning I called in sick at work so I can spy on my dad. I made sure that the company thinks I was really sick and I made sure that my parents think that I was fine and going to work. 
I wore my work cloth, had breakfast with mom and dad and walked out as if I was setting off for work. I sat at the coffee house in my neighborhood with just enough view of our house and made sure I was well hidden. 
Couple of minutes after I sat down, my mom walked out of the house and rushed to the bus stop. After she was out of site I fixed my eyes on the front door. I sat there for like an hour until he finally stepped out from the front door. He looked different. He had his white sneakers on. He was wearing a black shirt with black skinny jeans. He had his black bag dangling on his left shoulder. He called a taxi and went off. I made sure to follow him closely with a taxi of my own. 
When my dad stopped in front of a café, I told the driver to stop around the corner. I paid the man and followed my dad in. I wasn’t too close to him as to hear what he was talking on the phone but I can see everything. He sat down and ordered two cups of coffee. I was hiding behind a giant decorated bush when I saw a women approach him.