Chapter 18
The following morning.
Evelyn didn't leave her apartment until eight sharp.
Her subway commute took exactly twenty minutes. Moments like these made her grateful she'd found affordable housing so close to the corporate headquarters.
Stepping outside, she instinctively raised a hand to shield her tired eyes from the harsh morning sunlight.
Sleep had eluded her completely last night, leaving her exhausted and bleary-eyed.
The bright rays stung her sensitive eyes painfully.
She'd spent hours analyzing Dominic Blackwood's baffling behavior. Why would the powerful CEO shower her with such extravagant gifts?
Had the house call and gourmet meal truly been appreciation for babysitting his children?
Were those imported flowers merely a polite gesture during her illness?
Yet the man's demeanor had been anything but friendly.
The two gift boxes from last night confused her most of all.
The sheer extravagance of these gestures unsettled Evelyn deeply.
Who was Dominic Blackwood? And more importantly - who was she?
The CEO of T Corporation stood at the pinnacle of the business world. Even without his wealth, his sculpted physique and striking features would make him any woman's fantasy.
Evelyn? She was nobody.
Her only qualifications? Being female and breathing.
Dominic's actions suggested something absurd - too ridiculous to entertain seriously.
A man like him could have any mistress he desired.
Why would he look twice at someone like her?
It made zero sense.
...
Outside her apartment complex.
Evelyn paused at the crosswalk, scanning for traffic when movement caught her eye.
An elderly sanitation worker in a fluorescent vest emptied the trash bins.
He pulled out two familiar boxes - one blue, one white.
Identical to the ones Alexander delivered last night.
As the old man crouched to inspect them, two fashionably dressed women exited the building.
"Hey old man, what'd you find there?" The younger woman, mid-twenties, approached eagerly.
To the elderly worker, designer clothes held little value. His aging wife couldn't wear such styles.
A passing car blocked Evelyn's view momentarily.
When she looked back, the women were negotiating with the cleaner, offering to buy his discovery.
"Here's two hundred bucks, old timer. Take it!"
Money exchanged hands, and the women lunged for the remaining box.
"Wait." Evelyn approached calmly. "I'll give you ten thousand for both boxes."
The women glared daggers at this unexpected interference.
Who did this meddler think she was?
Evelyn met their hostility unflinchingly. She had every right to intervene.
These items no longer belonged to Dominic after her refusal - they were the cleaner's property now.
The Ralph Lauren outfit represented peak luxury for working women, favored even by celebrities.
The Tiffany brooch exceeded that value exponentially.
Together worth over $150K, being snatched up for two hundred?
That wasn't just greedy - it was criminal.
"T-ten thousand?" The old man gaped.
Evelyn nodded firmly.
"Fifteen thousand!" The first woman countered, shooting Evelyn another glare before rummaging for her bank card.
"Twenty thousand." Evelyn increased her offer without hesitation.
The cleaner's skeptical expression clearly doubted her sincerity.
"Probably fakes," one woman whispered to her friend. "This smells like a scam. Since when do you find luxury goods outside some cheap apartment?"
The friend reconsidered, pocketing her card. "You're right. Almost fell for it! Total con job!" They stormed off indignantly.
The old man bristled. "Who you calling scammers? You three are the shady ones here!"
...
Twenty minutes later, Evelyn guided the elderly man into a high-end boutique.
With receipts and authentication, converting the items to cash proved simple.
She handled every step.
The bewildered old man clutched the money bag, trembling. "I-I..."
"No scam, sir. Finder's keepers." Evelyn had refused these gifts initially - she wouldn't claim them now.
Brand new with original receipts, liquidation was guaranteed.
"Divine luck!" Tears welled in his eyes as he hugged the life-changing sum. "Five years of medicine right here! No one will come after me later, right?"
Evelyn reassured him, then noticed his pronounced limp.
...
Evelyn arrived at T Corporation at 10:30 AM.
Their conversation revealed the cleaner lived alone with his ailing wife, childless.
During his first sanitation year, a hit-and-run driver shattered his leg.
The fleeing perpetrator remained at large.
Medical bills and ongoing treatment had nearly broken him. Only concern for his wife prevented suicide.
Suddenly, Evelyn felt gratitude toward Dominic Blackwood.
To the wealthy, a few hundred thousand meant nothing. To this man? A miraculous second chance.
Inadvertently, Dominic had performed genuine charity.
Only upon entering the near-empty office did Evelyn realize - it was Saturday.
...
Meanwhile, a father-son standoff unfolded elsewhere.
Dominic sat in his black Land Rover, dark shirt accentuating his stormy expression. "Last chance. Coming or not?"
"No! You're hopeless!"
Alexander hugged his backpack tighter, puffing his cheeks at his father. "I wanted to help make you likable, but where do I even start? Terrible temper, zero gentleness - the list goes on!"
Dominic's brow furrowed dangerously. Was his son scheming something?
The final blow came delivered with childish bluntness. "You'll die alone at this rate!"