Chapter 15: Chapter 15

As we were talking, Joshua received a call and by the expression on his face, it seemed like it was something he had forgotten.

"Listen...Alice, unfortunately we'll have to continue our conversation later. I forgot that I have an event today," he replied, putting his phone back in his suit pocket.

"Oh, no problem!"

"I'll drive you home," he said, getting up from the table.

"If you want me to take a taxi so that you won't be late..." I stood up after him.

"It's okay, I'll take you. The event venue isn't far from my apartment. I just need to stop somewhere first."

I nodded and followed him out of the café.

***

Joshua took us to a small shop in the city center. He said he needed to buy a few things before we went to the event. As we entered the shop, I was amazed at the variety of objects for sale. Joshua seemed to know exactly what he was looking for and went straight to a shelf at the back of the store. He picked up a few items and examined them carefully.

Meanwhile, I took the opportunity to look at the other items in the store. There were several shelves of books, crafts, clothing, and jewelry, but everything seemed too antique for the kind of man Joshua was. I was so engrossed in looking at things that I didn't even notice when Joshua came back to me.

"Ready to go?" he asked, smiling this time.

"Yes, of course," I replied, still a bit distracted by the items in the store.

We got back in the car, and I couldn't help but notice the bag he put on the back seat of his sports car.

"Not to be nosy, but...you don't strike me as someone who likes antiques."

Joshua smiled again at my question. After we talked for a bit, he seemed more cheerful.

"It's not for me. It's for someone special."

"Oh! Your girlfriend?"

I saw Mr. Scott's son almost laugh at my question.

"No. It's for an eighty-year-old friend."

I was surprised by his words.

"When I was a kid, my mom took me to visit a nursing home for the elderly. I became attached to a lady who lived there and started visiting her regularly. She had no family, and I felt happy to be able to keep her company. But one day, I found out that she had passed away. I was so sad and felt like I had lost a real grandmother.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Joshua."

"What I mean is that, just like how I became attached to that lady when I was a kid, today I spend my free time going to nursing homes in London, especially one where my deceased friend's grandmother lives. She was abandoned by her family. I never understood why, but...I know that if he were alive, he would take care of his grandmother. So, I'm doing this for him. And I want to be there for her when she needs me."

I was moved by Joshua's story and realized that he was a very special person who cared deeply about others.

"Is this event you're going to... from the nursing home?"

"Yes. They're doing it to raise money. And I forgot about it when we went to the café."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"It's okay. I still have time." He smiled.

"It must be a really nice event. It's rewarding to be able to help people."

"I didn't invite you to come with me because... I didn't think you would be interested."

"Seriously! I love social causes."

"Then I guess you would like the atmosphere. Would you like to come?"

"Sure!" I said without hesitation. "I really like that."

We changed routes and Joshua headed to the event.

When we arrived, we were quickly greeted by the organizers, who were Joshua's friends. They seemed excited to see him and greeted him warmly. Joshua introduced me to them and we began to talk about the event and the planned activities.

Meanwhile, I watched Joshua with admiration. He seemed comfortable and confident, but also showed humility and respect for everyone there. He always included everyone in the conversation and listened attentively to each person's opinions.

After we left the staff, we began to walk around the event. Joshua explained to me about the different activities that were happening and how each one was contributing to the cause he believed in. I was impressed by the passion and dedication he had to make a difference in the world.

At one point, Joshua stopped to talk to a group of elderly people, who welcomed him warmly. They praised him and said how kind and present he was in the nursing home. For a moment, I could see Joshua's face blush when he received the elderly's compliments.

After the conversation, we decided to move on and continue exploring the event. I became increasingly fascinated with Joshua and his commitment to helping others. It was inspiring to see how he used his time and resources to take care of those gentlemen and ladies.

When the first activity began, Joshua was very participative and collaborative. He helped organize the materials and encourage other participants. I also felt motivated by him and got involved in the activities with more enthusiasm than ever before.

"My dear Joshua!" said a lady approaching us. She was short, her white hair was braided, and she walked with a cane. "You came to see me. And you even brought your girlfriend." She smiled at me.

"Oh no, ma'am. I'm not his girlfriend, he's my boss."

"I know you're trying to fool me, but don't worry, I'm not jealous of my dear Joshua." She smiled even more, which made me very embarrassed.

"I brought a present for you, ma'am," Joshua said, lifting the gift bag he had been carrying all this time.

"Oh, my boy, you didn't have to..." She said and hugged him by the waist, as Joshua was almost twice her height.

"I couldn't help but give you a gift, Grandma."

"What did you bring me this time?" she asked curiously, opening the bag.

"It's a pocket watch. I know you've always wanted one."

"It's beautiful," she says. "You didn't have to go through the trouble."

"Oh, don't mention it."

"It looks like one my father used to wear. Thank you so much, my dear." She hugs him again.

After talking with Joshua's friend, the event comes to an end and we soon have to go back home. Joshua and I leave together. He looked tired but happy.

"What did you think of the event?" he asked as we got into the car.

"It was amazing!" I replied, excited.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. I like to get involved in activities like this. If the whole world did good deeds, it would definitely be a better place."

I nod my head without hesitation, as I fully agreed with him. Inequality was quite noticeable all over the world.

At the end of the night, as we headed back home, I felt grateful to have met someone as special as Joshua. He was more humble than I imagined, someone who served as an inspiration to anyone.

***

A week passed, and living with Joshua was like living with a roommate, but of course, still respecting the fact that he was my boss and the son of my former bosses. However, despite that, our relationship was pleasant. We worked together, had breakfast and dinner together. And amazingly, we had things to talk about, even though most of the time an awkward silence took over, but besides that, everything was fine.

Today was the weekend, and I was searching for a college in London on Google. I would transfer my Art course here since I had no idea when I would return to Los Angeles. As soon as I find a vacancy with a very good scholarship, my attention is drawn to the doorbell that starts ringing. Seeing that Mrs. Taylor was in the kitchen, away from the living room, I didn't hesitate to get up from the couch and go to the door.

When I opened it, I saw a youthful, feminine figure in front of me.

"Hello, how can I help you?" I asked politely.

"Oh," the woman said, surprised to see me. I don't think she expected to find me in the apartment. "Hi." She smiled sweetly. "I'm looking for Joshua. Is he home?" she asked.

"Sorry, he left a few hours ago. Would you like to leave a message or something?"

"No, it's okay. Could you just tell him I stopped by?" she asked.

"Sure! Can you tell me who you are?"

"Madelyn. I'm his fiancée," she replied with a bright smile.

Fiancée...?

I couldn't help but feel a strange sensation run through my body. It was like a momentary explosion of unknown feelings took over me. I was boiling inside, but why?

Suddenly, Mrs. Taylor entered the room and called the girl by name. Madelyn shifted a bit to see her better.

"Auntie?" she greeted the older woman with a smile.

"When did you arrive in London?" asked Mrs. Taylor, hugging the girl.

"I arrived last night. But I wanted to surprise him," Madelyn replied.

"And what a wonderful surprise it is! Does Joshua know you're here?"

"Not yet. I also intended to surprise him," the girl smiled cheerfully.

Mrs. Taylor pulled Madelyn into the apartment and kindly asked me to take out the trash. Although she had never been kind to me before, I didn't hesitate to help. I grabbed the garbage bag and headed for the terrace.

As I descended in the service elevator, I thought about the girl I had just met and the discomfort I felt when I found out she was Joshua's fiancée. I didn't understand the exact reason for that feeling, but something told me that there was more to it.

"He didn't tell me he had a fiancée... I've been living with him for a little over a week, and he never mentioned her."

Finally, I reached the street trash can and threw the black bag inside. I raised my head and took a deep breath, trying to shake off the strange feeling that accompanied me. It wasn't jealousy, I knew that. I barely knew Joshua, and I didn't even have a romantic interest in him. So what was it? Maybe it was the fact that I felt excluded from something that seemed so important to him since he had never mentioned a girlfriend before, let alone a fiancée, so why didn't he mention it earlier? I felt a little deceived, as if I wasn't being completely informed about things.

I decided I needed a moment to myself, so I walked down the alley and found a small area with benches and trees. I sat on one of the benches and closed my eyes, trying to understand what I was feeling. As I pondered these questions, I heard footsteps approaching. I opened my eyes and saw Joshua coming towards me. He seemed surprised to see me there.

"What are you doing outside?" he asked as he approached. He was wearing sports clothes, which made him even sexier than usual.

Every morning, Joshua went out for a run and to practice sports. On weekends he spent a little past nine in the morning.

"Huh... Just came to catch some fresh air," I try not to look at his toned physique, staring at any other place in the park.

"Be careful not to catch a cold," he jokes, even though he was also unprotected.

I watched him walk away and start running again. I didn't want to mention that he had a visitor because it could ruin the woman's "surprise".

After a while, I got up from the bench, smoothing out my wrinkled green dress as I looked out at the city around me. Despite being surrounded by buildings, I could still feel the cool morning breeze on my face. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm the agitation that still existed in me because of the girl who showed up at Joshua's door. Did they get along well together?

I immediately shook my head as I realized that I had started thinking about them again, trying to banish those thoughts from my mind. I returned to the service elevator and began to ascend back upstairs.

When I finally reached the apartment, I found Mrs. Taylor and the girl sitting in the living room, chatting animatedly. They stopped as soon as they saw me enter, and I could feel their curious eyes on me.

Mrs. Taylor smiled and thanked me for taking out the trash. The girl, Madelyn, looked at me for a few seconds before turning to Mrs. Taylor and continuing the conversation. I sat in a distant armchair, observing their interaction.

After a few minutes, I heard a noise outside the apartment and immediately deduced that it was Joshua. Thus, Mr. Scott's son opened the door and entered his home.

"Alice..." He was about to tell me something, as the armchair I was sitting on was the first thing that could be seen upon entering the apartment, but he paused his words upon seeing Madelyn.

"Surprise!" she said, standing up and going to hug him. "I arrived last night and wanted to surprise you." She smiled.

Seeing that scene, I got up from the armchair, feeling a bit out of place in that situation. I didn't know what to do or say, so I decided to go to my room and try not to bother them. As I walked down the hall, I could hear Madelyn's excitement coming from the living room, but I decided to ignore it.

I sat on my bed and picked up a book to read. But no matter how hard I tried to focus on the story, my mind kept wandering. I couldn't stop thinking about Joshua and Madelyn. Were they really happy together?

That question resurfaced in my mind. I shook my head again, trying to push it out of my mind. I had no right to question Joshua's relationship with someone else. And it didn't make sense...

After a while, I heard a knock on my door, two soft taps to be exact. Thinking it was Mrs. Taylor, I didn't take long to get up from the bed and go there.

Turning the doorknob, I noticed it was Joshua.

I froze when I saw my boss in front of me. What was he doing here?

Silence fell between us, but it was soon interrupted by me.

"M-Mr. Scott! Do you need anything?" I asked.

"I need you to do something for me," he said.

"Sure! What do you want?"

"I want you to call Samantha and tell her to cancel the meeting on Monday."

"Okay." I nodded, but I was curious as to why he didn't do it himself since Samantha was his secretary. "But... Sir, why don't you do it yourself? You're the boss, she might think I'm trying to boss her around..."

Joshua smiled at my comment.

"She won't think that. Besides, I'm busy now, that's why I can't make the call myself."

"Ah, right, your fiancée." I nodded my head.

"Fiancée?" he arched his eyebrows, looking confused.

"Yes, the woman outside."

"She's not my fiancée," he said, seeming indignant for a moment.

I was surprised by his words and nodded my head.

"We're nothing," he explained. "We stopped being that a long time ago."

Suddenly, I felt a strange relief wash over my body.

"So, why..."

"I don't know, but I'll clear this up now."

Joshua turned around, seeming furious.

I couldn't help but follow him to the living room. The woman was no longer in the apartment.

"Mr. Scott, is everything okay?" Mrs. Taylor asked.

"Where did Madelyn go?"

"To a hotel, sir."

"Send me her address."

Joshua said and grabbed the car keys, leaving the apartment like a rocket.

Mrs. Taylor and I exchanged equally confused looks.