Chapter 15
When Zea found out Moira had gotten married on a whim, she gave her an exaggerated thumbs–up, clearly impressed.
“Well, well, look at you, getting hitched out of nowhere! Your mom really knows how to pick rim. Got any more ‘superli mien‘ like that lying around? Or maybe your husband has some brothers? Help a girl out -Em still stuck in this dating drought!”
The words “superb man” instantly brought an image of Virgil’s striking face to Moira’s mind. She smiled a little, sluking her head. “Virgilvan only child”
“Such a shame, Zea sighed dramatically, then gave Moira a playful nudge. “Alright, well, I’ll help you move Later, but listen……... if your mom to pull another match out of her magic hall, dont you forget about me, alright?
Moira chuckled, “I promise I won’t forget you?“.
After a lighthearted “goodbye” meal with Zea, Moira finally moved into Emberfall Heights. It didn’t take long–she dafn’t have much si managed to għ everything over in one trip.
Emberfall Heights was located in the second ring of Eldoria, a neighborhood that was even Lancier than the Starry Garden she’ll lived in before,
The apartment Virgil had bought was a spacious three–bedroom, two–bath setup, with one room converted into a study. The master bedroom was huge, and there was also i guest room for when they needed extra space
Without hesitation, Moira picked the guest rimti.
Once Zea left, Moira unpacked her things and decided in ta
in take a long shower in relax
When she finished and stepped out, the evening sky had already darkened, the city lights casting a soft, glow through. thair and checked her plone–800 p.m. already.
windows. She dried her
Moira opened the door to check the living room. It was empty. The master bedroom was the same–nobody was
was around. The only shoes at the entrance were hers. Virgil still hadn’t come back
She let out a soft sigh, then turned back to her room. After fishing drying her hair and going through her skincare routine, she grabbed a book and sank into the bed, sealing in to wait.
She read for a couple of hours, the minutes stretching into what felt like forever. Nine o’clock came and went, then eleven still no Virgil.
She hesitated for a moment, then grabbed her phone and called him.
Virgil picked up quickly, has voice that and detached as usual. “What’s up?”
Moira glanced out the window, staring into the pitch–black night. “Are you u still working?” she asked.
Before Virgil could respond, a stranger’s voice came through the phone. “Conrad, it’s your turn to play”
Moira froze. “Wait–is he playing poker? Her mind raced with confusion.
“If you don’t have anything important to say, I’m hanging up,” Virgil said, his tone cold and indifferent
Moira felt a knot twist in her stomach. She’d meant to say something like It’s so late, when will you be back! But instead, only the words, “When will you be home?” slipped out.
“Tim not coming back tonight, Virgil said, his tone as flat as ever. “Don’t wait up for me. Get some rest.
Moura bit her lip, trying to hold back her frustration. “Well, then you should be careful,” she said.
}} {{isn’t re
respond. The line went dead before she could say anything else.
Moira stared at the dark screen of her phone, feeling a strange emptiness settle in her chest. Okay, fine, she told herself, it’s late, and maybe he just needs to unwind. He’s been working nonstop this week. Maßbe poker’s his way of relaxing
She sighed, trying to let it go. Setting her phone to airplane mode, she locked the door, drew the curtains, and crawled into bed.
She figured he’d be back the next day. But as the clock ticked past midnight, there was still no sign of him. Not even a call.
This time, she didn’t bother calling again.
Chapter 15
Reality hit Moira like a ton of bricks. She was starting from scratch. Desperation drove her to send her resume to every job she could find- anything that paid decently.
She focused mainly on interior design positions, the field her degree was in. She attached her resume along with samples of her previous work, hoping to make a good impression.
A few companies got back to her, but despite her solid college record–hell, she’d even wor had been a different story. She had no real work experience to speak of
first
place in a design competition–the past few years
If she wanted to get her foot in the door, it was clear she’d have to swallow her pride and start at the bottom, probably as an intern or assistant.
At twenty–five, it felt like an awkward age to be hitting the reset button. She kept her marital status under wraps during the interviews, telling them she had a boyfriend and wasn’t planning on having kids anytime soon.
“we’ll let you
know that didn’t exactly
But it didn’t matter. The responses were all the same a polite smile, a few perfunctory questions, and a “wo scream confidence.
standing by the elevator, Moira couldn’t shake the feeling of disappointment weighing on her. That’s when her phone rang
Moira answered, and Zea immediately picked up on her mood. “Didn’t get it*
“I think I’m about to be left behind by the world” Moira muntered, her voice heavy with frustration,
was. Zei
Zea ler out a soft chuckle. “Oh, come on. Don’t sweat it. You’ve got your husband, right? The guy’s living in Emberfall Heights. Pretty sure he can take care of you.
Moira’s jaw tightened. I’m not some damsel in distress, okay? I don’t need him to take care of me
Emberfall Heights was worth a small fortune–at least 28 thousand dollars per square meter, more than double what her old place at Starry had cost.
Garden
Moira had to admit, she was shocked. Virgil made a decent salary, sure, but for him to afford that place! He must’ve bought it a while ago, and there had to be a serious mortgage hanging over it
Zea, always blunt, didn’t hold back. “Marriage is a partnership, girl. If your husband isn’t footing the hill, why if you even bother murrying hum?
Moira stayed quiet. She never knew how to counter Zea’s blunt takes on marriage
“Wait,” Zea pressed, her tone sharp. “Don’t tell me he’s not giving you a
any money!”
Moira knew where this was heading. If she didn’t handle it right, Zea would be calling Virgil “a waste of space” in no time. So she scrambled for a quick save. “He gave me his salary card”
“Well, there you go! If he can afford a place at Emberfall Heights, he’s definitely rolling in it. You’re set.” Zea’s tome shifted to approval.
Moira hadn’t eveh checked the salary card. She wasn’t planning to, either. Living in Virgil’s apartment rent–free already felt like more than enough. Dipping into his money too? That was a line she couldn’t cross
The elevator dinged, the doors sliding open,
She ended the call with Zea and stepped forward, but just as she was about to get in, a man in a sharp gray suit brushed past her. He took a few steps, then stopped abruptly and turned around. “Moira Elliott?”
Moira blinked startled, and looked up
His face hit up with a broad grin. “Ti really is your
Before she could process what was happening, he strode toward her.
“Baldwin Wan the guessed, recognition finally clicking
“You do remember mer Baldwin laughed, his voice warm and full of energy. “What brings you here!”
Before she could answer, his enthusiasm hit her like a wave. “Are you here to renovate? I can offer you a discount. Want to swing by my office! I’ll draw up a design for you!”
Moira was caught off guard by his enthusiasm but managed to respond truthfully. “Actually, I’m here job hunting”
Baldwin raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. “Wait, you lefi Sailing Tech!”
The question stung a little, but it wasn’t unexpected. After Sailing Tech went public, she and Austin had been the office’s “golden couple with everyone expecting wedding bells in their future.
Chapter 13
That was until Austin had gone public with her–Kayla, heiress to the Mitchell Group. The whole thing had been humiliating. So yeah, Moira resiening hadn’t exactly shocked anyone.
Moira wasn’t about to get into anything about Austin, Spotting the other elevator doors sliding open, she gave Baldwin a polite smile and said. “Anyway, I’ve got to run. Take care, Baldwin”
With that, she stepped into the elevator, eager to leave the conversation behind.
Laterilut
afternoon. as she headed home from the hospital, her phone buzzed. It was a call from Dusk Furnishings HR department. “We’d like to offer you the designer position, the woman on the other end said “Can you come in tomorrow to Enalize the paperwork?”
Moira froze mid–step, stunned “Designer position”
“Yes,” the woman confirmed, cheerfully
assista
It wasn’t an intern or assistant role. It was designer.
For a moment, she just stood there, letting the news sink in. After so many setbacks, it felt like the universe had finally thrown her a bone. Maybe that old saying was true when you hit rock bottom, there’s nowhere to go but up
Grinning from ear to ear, she decided to celebrate. On her way home, she stopped by the store and picked up a bag of oranges. Life, for the first time in what felt like forever, was starting to look a line brighter..
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