Chapter 3 A SIMPLE FAVOR

Jenny's POV

It was hard to believe my current reality, mostly because I couldn't live within my means anymore. Dad said he had to relieve some workers of their job at the house to cut cost.

"I'm sorry Madame Sarah, but I have to let you and your staff go." My dad said to the old lady, she was saddened deeply by the news.

"But Mr. Parker, I've been a loyal worker of yours before little Jenny was born. You can't do this now, there has to be another way around this." She said softly.

"I'm sorry Madame Sarah, but there's nothing I can do. I can't have underpaid staff working for me worse, non paid staff. It's just not fair on your part." My dad explained calmly to her.

She nodded her head and cleared her throat before saying, "Very well then, I understand. I wish you good luck sir, you and the kids. I and my staff will be out of here by tommorow morning."

My dad then proceeded to tell the cooks about the bad news, "Oh no sir, that's terrible." One of the cooks said. The cooks all discussed indistinctively amongst themselves until one of them said,

"Does it have to be all of us sir, I'm willing to compromise." She spoke softly, with an afrikaan accent tone was graceful as ever. My dad was captured by her beauty and countenance even though she was a cook.

"Do you work here? How come I've never seen you?" My dad asked her then he asked for her name.

"Amelia sir, I was hired three days ago by the head cook." She explained.

"She's my niece , and a really good cook." The head cook said in her defense.

"How much are you willing to compromise?" My dad asked Amelia.

"I value this job, and the opportunity to serve in your mansion. I understand your concerns, so I'm willing to reduce my wages by over 50 percent if you allow me to stay as your cook."

My dad was taken aback my Amelia's offer, he had not expected such sacrifice. Every other cook couldn't do what Amelia had just done and that was the beauty in it according to my dad. So after a moment of contemplation, he nodded and then said, "Very well Amelia, you may continue to work here. But there's a catch, you're going to oversee all the work that needs to be done around this house. Cooking, cleaning, everything that needs to be done to run a proper home." My dad said.

That was an unfair deal, but somehow Amelia agreed to his terms. "Thank you sir, I am grateful."

My dad then went on to relieve the gardeners of their duties, one of them decided to cut their wages over by 70 percent. I didn't know why they kept on doing that? There were other billionaires looking for workers like them, but here they were, cutting down their wages like they didn't know the repercussions. Eventually, my dad accepted Calipso to garden his flowers for a low pay.

After reliving almost 70 workers from their jobs, he then went on to tell Mr. Pedro the bad news.

"Sir, I am really sorry sir, it's such a terrible thing to happen at a time like this." Mr. Pedro consoled my dad.

"It's okay, everything's eventually gonna be alright." My dad responded.

"I know what you did with the other workers, you probably want to do it to me too."

"Pedro..." My dad said softly.

"I have been your driver for many years, and I have always given my best to this job. So with all due respect Mr. Richard Parker, I'm not going anywhere."

"Pedro I can't afford to pay you like I use to." My dad stressed.

"You don't have to pay me at all. I just need a simple favor," Mr. Pedro continued, " My nephew, Xavier, he's a smart kid. And he dreams of attending Kingston Southgate Academy, they have the best shot at getting into an Ivy League over there."

"I can't afford to pay my daughters tuition, and you want me to pay your nephews? I don't understand where this is going Pedro,"

"No sir, that's not what I'm saying. I was thinking you could allow my nephew to live with you and let him take a scholarship exam at KSA, and I'll drive for you for free. Please Mr. Parker, it would mean the world to him."

My dad pondered the proposal for few moment, nodded slowly and then said, "Pedro you have been a loyal and trustworthy employee and friend. And I can appreciate your dedication towards your nephews future. If your nephew passes the scholarship exams and is accepted into the school, I'll let you continue to work as my driver, for free. But if he doesn't, you'll leave, just like the rest."

"I understand sir. This would mean a whole lot to Xavier's family." Mr. Pedro said with gratitude.

I was by the pool side in my bikini's soaking up the sun with a fruit juice in my hands when my friends came from behind to surprise me.

"You've been absent from school for quite the time, what's up?" Monae asked me as she laid down on the chair beside me.

"Yeah, what's going on. You don't call, text, nothing!" Abby said as she laid down on the chair next to me as well.

"People at school are talking." Carey said as she sat on the chair next to Abby.

"I could care less about what people at school are saying. And Liam, what about him?" I asked them acting as though I were unbothered by everything that was said by them.

"I'm here, Jenny what's going on?" Liam said to me from behind. I turned back and rose my sunglasses up to see if he was actually here and he was.

It was at that exact moment Carey knew she wanted to take a swim in the pool, "Jeez, it's kinda hot out here," she took of her clothes one by one like she was in some luscious advertisement. She pretended like she was struggling to adjust her hair so she kept on shaking randomly just so her boobs could move along in accordance.

"Liam, I think my hair got stuck in my earrings, can you help get it out?" she said as she hurriedly walked to meet him. Whenever Carey was around Liam, her behavior always took a distinct transformation. It was as if a switch flipped inside her and she became a different person all together..

I exchanged cringed out glances at both Abby and Monae and they responded by rolling their eyeballs out. "Thank you Liam," she stretched her voice while she spoke, such a quintessential pick me girl.

Liam then turned to Monae and asked her to scouch over for him so he could have a sit next to me. "Jenny whatever's going on you can tell me, you haven't replied to my text, my calls, my voice messages, you haven't replied to anything at all." Liam said to me worried.

"I have my reasons," I said softly.

"What was the reason then?" He asked me as he took me gently by the hand.

"It's personal," I said as I withdrew my hands from his to put my glasses back on.

"Don't bullshit me, what the fuck is going on Jenny!" He was pissed at this point.

"I'm going in!" Carey yelled of course to attract attention but Liam and I didn't bother to look at her.

"For Godsakes Jenny, I'm your boyfriend!"

"Did you remember that when I was publicly shamed at school?!"

"I already told you, there was nothing I could fucking do!"

"Of course, that's your mediocre excuse?" I was about to yell at Liam the more until Carey jumped into the pool and a cascade of water erupted, drenching poor little me, and just me alone.

"What the fuck!" I yelled at Carey scanning through my drenched body.

"Oopsies," she said with a slight giggle. Monae and Abby cautioned her but she didn't feel remorseful,"You guys should take a fucking chill pill," she said.

Just then, a young male voice approached us from behind, apologizing, "I'm so sorry for interrupting, Mr. Parker didn't tell me people were here."

We turned to see who was talking and this guy was an epitome of perfection, he had a striking appearance standing 6ft tall. He was in a swimsuit so we could all see that he had the right amount of muscle definition. His black hair was tousled in a carefree manner and I was left mesmerized.

"Ou la la, who's that hot piece of cake?" Carey said out loud as she paused her swimming.

"I'm Xavier, Jenny's temporary guest." He said with a smirk.