Chapter 37
Even though Baldwin had praised her work, Moira wasn’t excited about participating in the show–especially with a celebrity partner, thinking. What if my design doesn’t meet their expectations? What if the celebrity’s fans come after me?
Zea was a hardcore fan herself, and Moira had seen her tear into actresses who were trying to ride on her husband’s coattails, trashing them on X, then hopping to Instagram and Youtube.
She still turned the offer down. “There are other designers at the company. I’ve only just joined Dusk Furnishing, so it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to take this on”
“Don’t give me an answer right away,” Baldwin said. “Think it over and let me know when you’re sure.”
He continued. “This is a great opportunity for exposure. If you perform well on the show, you’ll build your reputation in the industry. After that, no one in Dusk Furnishing will talk behind your back, and you won’t have to worry about finding clients.
“The more you charge–whether it’s 35 thousand dollars, 160 thousand dollars, or even 300 thousand dollars–the higher your commission will be
“This could ke up for the five years you lost. Take your time, but I need an answer by tomorrow. We’re signing the contract on Friday”
The last two sentences caught Moira’s attention. She nodded. “Alright, I’ll think about it and let you know”
After the meal. Baldwin offered to drive her home, and Moira didn’t refuse.
When they arrived at Emberfall Heights, Baldwin parked the car at the entrance of the complex, glancing inside. He raised an eyebrow. “This place isn’t cheap”
Moira understood exactly what he was implying. She shrugged lightly and replied, “My boyfriend lives here. We’re dating with marriage in mind”
Although Baldwin already knew Moira had a boyfriend, hearing that they were living together before marriage made his expression darken slightly. “Didn’t you say your boyfriend’s a coder? How’s he able to afford a place like this?”
He then thought. Of course, there are different types of apartments bere–maybe he bought a one–bedroom
“And buying a home these days often means draining several generations‘ worth of savings. It is possible her boyfriend’s parents have helped with the purchase. That thought made Baldwin look down on Virgil.
Moira didn’t mention that Virgil had bought the apartment with a loan. There was no need to explain her personal life to him.
Not noticing the change in Baldwin’s expression, she opened the car door, turned back out of politeness, and said, “Thanks for the ride? Then, after a pause, she added, “And thank you for the job opportunity”
Baldwin watched her walk into the complex, his face darkening even further.
He had once heard that Moira and Austin had a platonic relationship, and that was one of the reasons he’d admired her.
But now, to his surprise and frustration, Moira, who he had been thinking about, had already been sleeping with another man. He slammed his fist onto the steering wheel, seething with jealousy.
The weather still warm, and Moira was sweaty from the day. She dropped her things and headed straight for the bedroom to take a shower.
gifs apartment had both a master and a guest bathroom, each spacious, with a shower and a baititub
Since the had returned home early, Moira decided to take a long bath. As she ran the water, she added a few drops of essential oil to the tub. She’d bought the oil when she first moved in but hadn’t had a chance to use it until now.
As she sank into the warm water, she closed her eyes and sighed contentedly. “So relaxing
The warmth of the water helped her unwind. Not wanting ib get up too soon, she let herself drift off, eventually falling aslers in the tub
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