Chapter 76 Is She An Imposter?
I stared at her for minutes, not knowing how to understand how the hell she is the woman I hired as my housemaid.
I didn’t even realize how much time had passed until she shifted slightly, her brows knitting together as if she were unsure whether to feel uncomfortable or amused. My brain felt like it had short-circuited, every rational thought dissolving into static as I tried and failed to reconcile the woman standing in front of me with the woman I had hired.
She was young and very beautiful. The kind of beauty that turns heads wherever she goes. Nothing about her matched the woman on the profile.
Finally, she cleared her throat softly. "Um,” she said gently, pulling me out of my stupor, “are you… the one who hired me?”
Her voice snapped me back into reality like a slap to the face. I can't believe I was staring at her like a fool this entire time. “Yes,” I blurted too quickly, but then got embarrassed by my answer. “I mean, yes, I did, but—” I stopped myself, not knowing how to explain that she doesn't really look nor seem like the Ashely Adams I talked to on the phone. She tilted her head, waiting patiently, and that somehow made it worse. “I’m just not sure that you’re actually the person I hired.” I answered awkwardly.
Her brows lifted in surprise. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
I swallowed. There was no graceful way out of this, was there? “The woman I spoke to,” I said carefully, “was… an older lady. The profile I saw was of an elderly woman. And you’re—” I stopped again, my mouth clamping shut too late. "Young and gorgeous."
That was the word my brain supplied immediately, and judging by the way her eyes widened and her lips parted slightly, I realized I’d practically said it out loud.
Her cheeks flushed beautifully. “Oh,” she said softly, clearly caught off guard.
Heat rushed to my face. “I...I didn’t mean...well, I did mean it, but that’s not...” I exhaled sharply. “I’m sorry. That was inappropriate.”
She let out a small laugh, light and unoffended. “It’s okay.”
I rubbed the back of my neck, suddenly feeling like a socially inept teenager instead of a grown man. “There must be some kind of mistake,” I said, grasping at logic. “You can’t be Ashley Adams.”
“I am,” she said simply still looking at me like something about me amused her.
I frowned. “No offense, but the Ashley Adams I hired was at least fifty.”
She tilted her head and smiled. "I'm more than fifty."
My eyes widened as I stared her down. She was slender and look extremely good looking in her skinny jeans and leather jacket. This lady must be crazy because no way in hell is she over fifty.
Before I could argue and tell her that she's probably out of her mind, she reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. She unlocked it, scrolled for a moment, then held it up to me.
“This is the address you sent me,” she said. I took the phone from her with doubt still in my mind. There's no way that she's really Ashely Adams.
But when I saw the message on her phone, I got even more confused. What the hell?! “This is… impossible,” I murmured.
She shrugged lightly. “I don’t know what to tell you, sir. You asked me to come. So I did.”
For a brief moment, I genuinely wondered if Adrian had orchestrated some elaborate prank. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d crossed the line between humor and insanity. But the sincerity in her expression made that unlikely.
I handed her the phone and stepped aside slowly. “Please… come in.”
She hesitated, then stepped past me into my apartment. I don't know if she's really Ashely Adams or if this is just one messed up prank, but I have no strength to argue right now.
The messed up apartment didn’t seem to faze her. Her gaze skimmed the cluttered living room, the scattered clothes on the couch and floor, but she didn’t wrinkle her nose or look judgmental. She simply maintained a polite smile, and I have no idea if she doesn't care or she's just being polite.
Before I could say anything else, Adrian emerged from the kitchen holding a plate of food. So he did good.
I was always right.
“So,” he called out as he walked out not noticing us yet, “is the housemaid..." He stopped mid-sentence and his eyes widened. “Oh,” he breathed.
I sighed already knowing he was about to flirt. In case I forgot to mention, Adrian is a big womanizer. “Don’t.” I warned but of course he ignored me.
He stepped closer, his usual swagger replaced with stunned disbelief. “Hi,” he said, his voice noticeably higher. “I’m Adrian. Josh’s very handsome and charming friend.”
I rolled my eyes so hard it almost hurt.
She smiled at him. “Nice to meet you Adrian.”
Adrian blinked stunned by her beautiful smile. “Wow. You're hot.”
I cleared my throat loudly. I can't let him embarrass me further. “Ashley, please sit down.” I said to her.
She did, perching neatly on the couch as if my apartment wasn’t a complete disaster. Adrian stared at her like she’d fallen out of the sky.
He leaned close to me and whispered, “You hired a hot maid?”
I shot him a glare. “Lower your voice Adrian. Don't make her uncomfortable.”
“She’s stunning,” he continued in a stage whisper. “I mean, seriously. How did you pull this off? I was expecting an old lady.”
“Me too Adrian. I actually thought I hired an old lady. But she said she's fifty."
Adrian smirked. “If she's fifty, then I'm into older women today." I glared at him for being unserious and he grinned and walked closer to Ashely. “Well, Ashley, good luck with the job." He placed the food on the dining table and whispered. "My friend Josh is a workaholic, and he can be difficult."
“I heard that,” I said.
Adrian laughed moving back towards me and patting my shoulder. “Don’t screw this up.” Then, to her he said, “It was lovely meeting you Ashely. My father just called that my presence is needed at home. See you around.” With that, he grabbed his jacket and left, still grinning like an idiot.
The apartment fell quiet again. I turned to her, suddenly very aware of how alone we were. It made me nervous.
“Alright,” I said, exhaling slowly. “Let’s… talk.” She nodded, folding her hands in her lap. I sat across from her, trying to adopt a professional demeanor. “Your profile says you have experience.”
She scrunched up her face a little before replying nervously, "I do,” she said.
“How long have you been working as a housekeeper?” I asked again, trying to get some kind of glue that she might be an imposter.
She paused. “As long as I can remember.”
That answer made me suspicious. She told me on the phone that she has a two years experience. “That’s… not very specific.”
She smiled faintly and I picked up her nervousness. “I suppose it isn’t.”
I studied her carefully. Everything about her felt slightly off. But I was too tired to unravel any mysteries.
“All you have to do is cook and clean. You don't have to clean my room. I'll do that myself and I do my laundry myself so there's no need to worry about that. The pay is five thousand dollars every month.” I waited for her reaction, but there was nothing. No reaction, no excitement.
She simply nodded. “That’s fine.”
I blinked. “Just fine?” Who wouldn't go mad for such a huge amount.
“Yes.” she answered confused like she doesn't know if her answer was weird.
I hesitated, but I had to ask. “You’re… not impressed?”
She looked at me curiously with a small smile. “Money isn’t really what I need right now.”
“What do you need, then?” I asked.
“Can I stay here with you? I'm currently in need of a place to stay."
I frowned, thinking it over. Maybe she lived far away. I sighed, “I have a spare room. You can use it.”
Her face lit up. Now there's the excitement I was looking for. “Thank you.”
For a moment, I forgot how to breathe again. Damn she really has a pretty smile.
“You can start tomorrow,” I said, clearing my throat. “For now, you can rest. I have work to finish.”
She nodded and I retreated to my room, my thoughts spinning.
I have no idea if she's really an imposter, but I guess I'm going to be living with her from now on.