Chapter 52 Mr. and Mrs. Carnegie
"Raymond, how is madam supposed to drop you off and pick you up for work? Isn't that somewhat more inconvenient? Should we get her a car? Or let her choose one for herself?" Charles's suggestion drew Raymond's thoughts back to the present.
Did Paige need him to get a car for her? Given her capabilities and connections to the world's wealthiest family, was she ever short of luxurious rides? Raymond was actually getting anxious; what if she pulled up in some high-end sports car? Then he'd be the one at a loss about what to do. Should he reveal his true identity or keep up the pretense?
Glancing at the clock, Raymond asked, "Where is she?"
"Madam is outside the building now, waiting for you to get off work," Charles informed him.
"I'm off," Raymond declared and began to wheel himself towards the exit.
Charles glanced at the time and inquired, "Raymond, there's still fifteen minutes to go."
Raymond shot Charles a withering look and Charles immediately clammed up.
As soon as Raymond exited the Hawke Corporation building, there was Paige, not in her car but right at the entrance, waiting patiently, being considerate to his mobility issues.
The moment Raymond saw Paige, he found that she was back in her casual attire, and her hairstyle differed slightly from what he had seen on the surveillance footage that morning; it was a detail he observed only upon a closer look. A light touch of makeup graced her features, lending her an exquisite poise far beyond her everyday bare-faced look.
Paige was naturally stunning, her eyes brimming with vivacity. With just a hint of makeup, her entire aura would be accentuated. Raymond was temporarily taken aback to see Paige looking like this, but he quickly realized that she had taken the lead today, and had probably engaged in celebration event that required makeup.
She must have changed into attire that better suited her status and then switched back for picking him up.
Paige saw Raymond too, a smile blooming on her face as she approached him.
Raymond had feared that after obtaining what she wanted, Paige might just take off. Contrary to his fears, she was right here, set to drive him home.
How could Raymond react?
She reached him and deftly started pushing his wheelchair.
"From now on, I'll be in charge of your commute," Paige said, her voice clear and resolute. "I've already spoken to Charles about it; it's not right to keep bothering him. I bought some groceries, so let's invite Charles over for dinner tonight."
No sooner had she finished speaking than Raymond quickly spoke up for Charles, "He mentioned he ate too much at lunch, not feeling hungry. Says he's skipping dinner to watch his weight.”
Paige's hand, pushing the wheelchair, paused for just a moment, "Really? He didn't say that when I talked to him on the phone just now.”
"Must have misheard," Raymond retorted, his tone a bit too casual.
Paige realized and almost chuckled at the ridiculousness of it all. Mr. Carnegie was sometimes such a petty person! It was merely an invitation to dinner.
Not one to press the issue, Paige just smiled and said, "Well, that's fine. I'll just make enough for the two of us tonight."
As they spoke, Paige had maneuvered Raymond's wheelchair next to the 'taxi.'
Paige had even taken the time to brush up on some caregiving tutorials online. Opening the car door, she assisted Raymond up from the wheelchair and into the passenger seat with a practiced ease.
She then folded up the wheelchair and stowed it in the trunk, while Raymond did his best not to lean too heavily on her. Given his height and build, it would be too much for Paige to handle all his weight if he were to truly act paralyzed from the waist down.
Therefore, Paige managed to get Raymond into the car quite effortlessly, her online crash course seemingly paying off big time.
It was only after Raymond was seated that he finally questioned, "Taxi?"
He recognized the luxury interior with just one glance.
Paige had just settled into the driver's seat and was buckling her seatbelt when she responded, slightly flustered, "I'm thinking about switching to driving a taxi for a job. What do you think?"
Raymond was silent for a moment. Was he supposed to play along with this?
Acting well was truly a challenge!
Without much hesitation, Raymond decided to go along with Paige's playacting. What other choice did he have? He had indulged her enough to let her into his most private chamber to retrieve something of utmost importance; why start questioning things now?
"You can drive? I didn't know you had a license before," said Raymond, a hint of genuine surprise in his voice.
Paige avoided looking at him, guilty as charged, "Yes, I've got my license."
Despite Paige's evident evasion, Raymond could see that she was not eager to discuss it further. However, considering that day's events, he found himself wanting to ask more questions.
After running a hand over the car's interior, he said, purposefully nonchalantly, "This taxi seems a bit different from the ones I usually ride."
Paige had just started the engine when she nearly stalled the car with a heavy foot.
Does Raymond take cabs?
It must be common for him since he recognized the difference so easily.
A thought clicked in Paige's mind, "Oh, right... this car actually belongs to the boss of our company. I've been meaning to talk to you about this."
Raymond's heart picked up its pace, and an idea sprang to mind; was Paige going to confess something to him?
But Paige's next move showed her innate talent for acting.
As she steered the car onto the road, her expression remained unchanged, "Our boss likes to keep a low profile, so he had this car customized. Usually, I drive it to pick up clients and such. In a way, it's using the company's dime for a bit of personal gain. With this car, picking you up and dropping you off for work would be so much more convenient, right?"
He took a deep breath, his thoughts being squashed like so many bugs under a boot.
Fine then! It sounded like a story made up on the spot.
Raymond seemed a bit irritated and asked pointedly, "Do you still have time to be a driver?"
Paige replied, "That's why I'm planning to quit my job at the Jobs estate."
Clever girl, grab the goods and run.
"Isn't the job at the Jobs estate quite relaxed and well-paying?"
"Driving for the boss pays more, and it's more convenient. We're married now; it's not exactly proper to always rely on Charles to do the driving."
Paige's reasoning was solid, absolutely practical for any typical married couple.
Being married, taking care of Raymond was part of her duty.
After all, Raymond provided her with a house to live in and bought her gifts as soon as he was paid.
Raymond observed Paige driving calmly; she certainly looked amazing today, but he wasn't sure if he should let her off the hook so easily.
"Who's your boss? Which company?"
Paige glanced over at Raymond; he rarely inquired about her work.
But considering last night's significant advancement in their relationship, she figured his new interest in her life was to be expected.
Which company? Which boss? This...
Paige realized it wasn't wise to weave a web of lies too tangled; after all, she'd have to reveal her true identity to him someday.
Better not to stray too far from the truth.
After a moment's thought, she answered, "Universe Group. You've heard of it, right? I drive for their CEO."
Driving for yourself around isn't exactly lying, right? At that moment, Raymond suddenly realized.
Universe, the Ellison family!
Paige had taken that thing for the Ellisons; she was working for them.
But what exactly Paige did at Universe, Raymond couldn't figure out at the moment.
Just when he was preparing to probe further, his cell phone pinged with a message.
It was a text from Charles: “Raymond, someone is tailing you guys.”
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