I Slept with My Boss and Ran Away

Justin had only been in the city for a few days, but Mr. Thatcher was already reluctant to return home. The years of bearing the burden of Tristan’s medical expenses had broken his spirit. Now that Justin was there to share the load, Mr. Thatcher intended to cling to him, refusing to let go.

Mrs. Thatcher seemed to want to speak but hesitated, while Mr. Thatcher said indifferently, “Think about Tristan. When we’re old, who will take care of him? And consider Gemma. We don’t make much money; we’re sick. In the future, we’ll have to rely on Ainsley. He makes a good living in the big city, it’s easier for him. We brought him into this world; it’s his duty to support us.”

Mrs. Thatcher thought of Tristan and said no more.

Downstairs.

Justin had already smoked several cigarettes. Without them, he couldn’t suppress the restlessness in his heart. His day at work had also been rough, and he even got a reprimand from his boss.

“Meredith, you should go back. Don’t worry about me; I’m fine,” Justin said with a forced smile. “No big deal. Money can be earned again. It’s my parents’ and brother’s first time in the city; I can’t just send them away. I know what I’m doing.”NôvelDrama.Org owns all content.

Meredith was not indifferent; she simply felt sorry for Justin. She took out her phone and said, “I’ll transfer twenty thousand to you. Use it for now, Justin. If there’s a problem, don’t be too proud to ask for help. We’re friends, we’re family. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me.”

She could only offer financial help to Justin.

Justin wanted to refuse, but he was indeed in a financial pinch. “Meredith, thank you.”

“Don’t talk like that,” Meredith chided. “Did you take your brother for a check-up? What did the doctor say?”

“The chances of recovery are slim,” Justin replied. “My parents still want to try. My brother is still young; there’s hope, so we must do all we can.”

Meredith, unable to help herself, asked, “Your parents are over sixty, right? How old is your brother?”

“My dad is sixty-five this year, my mom is sixty-two, and my brother is forty,” Justin explained. “They married early in their time; my mom had my brother when she was twenty.”

“Justin, you’re only twenty-six. That’s quite an age gap with your brother,” Meredith said curiously. “So your dad was nearly forty when you were born? Do you have any other brothers or sisters? Your brother has such a young daughter at forty?”

Meredith felt something was off.

“There were three older sisters and two older brothers before me, but it seems they all had accidents. Now only my older brother is left,” Justin said. “His daughter is from a second marriage. His first wife had no children, but after my brother’s accident, his second wife left him.”

“All had accidents?” Meredith was shocked. “Five of them? All gone? What’s the name of your parents’ hometown?”

“A small town in the south, called Crimson Copse,” Justin explained. “Two of my sisters drowned, one sister died when a cow knocked her over while she was herding, and both my brothers died of illness, according to my dad.”

After learning the basic situation, Meredith felt things were even more complicated, but she chose not to speculate further.

“Meredith, you should head back. I won’t keep you for dinner today,” Justin said, feeling embarrassed about the chaos at home and the presence of a paralyzed family member.

“Alright,” Meredith replied. “Call me if you need anything.”

“Sure,” Justin said, watching Meredith leave before crushing his cigarette butt underfoot and preparing to head upstairs.

As Justin turned, he saw Fiona.

Fiona was baffled, “With all these troubles, why won’t you just ask for help? We grew up together, and we promised to share the good times and face the hard times together, yet she’s off enjoying her good fortune…”

“Fiona, do you think it’s easy to ask for help?” Justin said with a self-deprecating laugh. “Meredith has her good fortune; that’s her blessing. We can’t help her, so we shouldn’t drag her down.”

“You’re really stubborn,” Fiona retorted, frustrated. “I found a job at Walmart, selling clothes but the pay is quite good. I start tomorrow. By the third of next month, we have to pay the loan interest, which totals twelve thousand eight hundred…”

In truth, Fiona hadn’t found a job. She was just making excuses to avoid serving the needs of the family.

“I’ll figure something out. You go to work, and everything will be alright,” Justin said, not suspecting anything. Fiona felt a twinge of guilt, but her selfish side chose to prioritize her own needs.

“I’m out of money. I can’t go to work penniless. I need money for meals, and I have to buy a uniform,” Fiona said, indirectly asking for money.

Justin took out his phone and said, “I’ll transfer a thousand to you for now, Fiona. Use it wisely, don’t be extravagant, save where you can.”