Once she chose wealth over love. Now she regrets it very much — The story of the day

Morgan was frantically packing her things. She was throwing everything indiscriminately into her suitcases, not thinking about putting them away neatly. She just wanted to get out of the huge mansion that had become a kind of prison for her. Suddenly she came across an old photo album that lay at the bottom of one of the dresser drawers. She took it in her hands and began to flip through it. An almost imperceptible smile appeared on her face. But when she saw one old photograph, she frowned. It showed a picture of a young couple. The girl was holding a beautiful bouquet of daisies and the boy was hugging her from behind and kissing her on the cheek. The young people looked very happy.

«Jake,» she whispered softly, running her finger over the face of the young boy in the picture. The memories flooded back and made her heart ache.

*****
20 years ago

«You know, I have a house for us. It’s not as fancy as your parents’ house, but it will be ours, full of love and warmth,» the young man stood in front of the girl, holding her hands in his and excitedly talking about his plans for the future. But it was as if she did not hear him. Her thoughts were elsewhere and the smile on her face was fake. «Morgan, are you listening to me?» the boy looked at her, trying to read her mind as if that were possible.

«Yes, Jake, I’m listening to you. What you’re saying is very sweet, but…»
«But? Is there a «but»? I thought that’s what you wanted, too».
«I wish I could spend the rest of my life with you, but I don’t think I can».

«What are you talking about?» Jake was puzzled. «What do you mean you can’t?»
«My dad was right. Me and you… we’re from completely different worlds. Love alone isn’t enough to live a happy married life. I’m used to a nice, well-off life. I’ve never had to save money for anything or realise that the thing I want I can’t afford. I am used to getting what I want».

«Well, yes»,  Jake sighed sadly, «and I thought you were different, not like these spoiled daughters of rich fathers. But apparently I was wrong. You were just having fun. I was an interesting experiment. Tell me, you weren’t going to marry a penniless orphan, were you?»

«Jake, you’ve got it all wrong,» said Morgan. «I’m really in love with you, but just being in love, dating is one thing, and married life is another».
He said nothing more. It was their last meeting and the last thing she remembered was his receding silhouette.

Our days

Morgan wiped the tears that were running down her cheeks, threw the album into the suitcase and closed it.
«I think that’s all,» she whispered, running her gaze around the room. «That’s all I need. I can’t do this anymore. I can’t live like this anymore. This hell should have ended sooner.»

A car honked on the street. It was the taxi she had ordered that arrived. Having hardly lowered the suitcases to the first floor, she opened the front door and called the taxi driver to help her carry the suitcases to the car.
«I’ll do it myself,» the taxi driver said. He was tall, a little overweight, with gray in his hair. «You can get in the car».
«Thank you,» Morgan thanked him and headed for the black sedan.

****

«When your dad finds out about this, he’s gonna be really pissed and he’s never gonna forgive you.» Lea was her best friend and she couldn’t think of anything better than going to her friend’s.

«I know, but I couldn’t live like that anymore. Kurt is very cruel to me. Plus, I found out he’s with someone else.» Morgan sighed sadly, resting her head on her friend’s shoulder. «I’ll stay with you for a little while until I find a job and can rent a flat for myself.»

«You can live here as long as you like. Sean won’t mind. Dad won’t understand you.»
«I know, but I also realize I should have left Kurt a long time ago. Mum would have understood me.»
«I’ll support you in anything. You can count on me.»

*****
«So you want a job, Miss Riley?» the young woman sitting opposite Morgan looked at her intently, squinting her eyes slightly.
«Yes. I have a degree. I went to Yale University.»

«You have no work experience. But lucky for you, we need lawyers. I think we’ll start by giving you the opportunity to temporarily work for us, and if our superiors are satisfied with your work, you’ll get the job».

«Thank you so much, Mrs Carter. You can’t imagine how important this is to me,» Morgan was beyond happy. A month of fruitless job-seeking and frustration had broken her down, and she was beginning to question the decisions she had recently made. As Lea said, her father didn’t forgive her and now they don’t talk anymore. «I promise I will handle this job. You won’t regret giving me this chance».

«Then you start tomorrow».

On the following day

Morgan overslept her first day and ran into the company’s office, hoping that no one had noticed her absence. After all, being late on her first day of work…it hardly helps to leave a good impression on her colleagues.

Trying to get the right HR paperwork out of her bag as she went, she didn’t notice the janitor and nearly knocked him over.
«Excuse me. I’m sorry. I didn’t see you.»

«It’s okay. That’s okay, because no one ever notices the janitors, they’re like invisible people. But everybody likes clean floors.»

Morgan raised her head to look at him. His face looked very familiar to her. She looked at his nametag and was dumbfounded. «Jake,» the nametag said. There was no doubt it was him.

«You? Here?» asked Morgan in a trembling voice.
«Yes. Everyone has to work somewhere,» replied the janitor. He didn’t seem at all surprised to see her here.

«Yeah,» she whispered. » I…I have to go. I’m late. They’re not gonna like it.»
«Yeah, bosses don’t like employees to be late,» Jake smiled faintly. «But maybe we could go out after work and have a cup of green tea, like you like?»

Morgan was stunned by the offer. She didn’t think Jake forgave her for her betrayal, and now he’s offering to go to the cafe.

«I… I don’t know. I have a lot of work to do,» she whispered and hurried off.
Jake stood there with a mop in his hand and watched her go. «Are you still only interested in money, Morgan?» he thought to himself, «Or have you changed and does ‘love’ mean anything to you?»

***
During her lunch break, Morgan met Lea at a nearby café. Her friend listened intently to her story, occasionally exclaiming in surprise.

«Keep your voice down, please,» Morgan warned her, «You’re attracting unnecessary attention.»
«Oh, I’m sorry. You say he wasn’t surprised to see you in the office?»
«Yes.»
«That’s weird. And he asked you out for tea after work?»
«Yes. Why do you keep saying that? I just told you about it, didn’t I,» Morgan said irritably.

«I’m processing the information. I want to make sure I get it right. Are you gonna go?»
«No, of course not,» Morgan objected. «Well, uh, maybe. I don’t know. I’m confused. Do you think I should go?»

«It doesn’t cost you anything to go with him. You’ll also find out how he is, how his life turned out. Because I don’t think his life is sweet as sugar, well… since he’s a janitor.»
«Okay. I’ll take his offer.»

****
The evening with Jake had gone surprisingly well. He didn’t hold a grudge against her for what she had done. They sat in the café and talked about things, but neither of them brought up that subject.

Morgan learned that he had failed to get into university and become a programmer as he had dreamed. He worked as an auto mechanic for a long time, but when the garage closed, he became a janitor in the IT company «Golden Ratio Software». Morgan even felt a little sorry for him, because he was really smart and could do a lot in life.

****
Two weeks later

Morgan’s boss, Mr Weller, was a tall, handsome brunette, slightly older than her.
«You have done an excellent job Miss Riley. We are very pleased with your work and want you to stay with us.»
«It’s a tremendous honour,» Morgan rejoiced. A permanent job is just what she needs. Now she would definitely be able to rent a flat for herself and not be a «burden» to Lea and Sean, as she called herself, although her friends said that wasn’t the case and that they were very happy that Morgan was now living with them. «Thank you, Mr Weller.»
«Miss Riley,» Weller addressed her, «you can just call me Robert. There’s no need to be so formal.»
«All right, Mr… I mean Robert. Then you can call me Morgan.»

*****
It’s been three months since Morgan got a job. She really liked her job and position, and she also really liked the new boss, whom she soon began dating. They also talked to Jake often, but now as friends. However, she did not tell him that she was dating Robert. Weller asked her to keep it a secret, because he didn’t want anyone in the company to find out about it, otherwise the employees would start gossiping, and he didn’t need that, because he was a respected person.
One day Morgan and Jake were walking in the park and talking.

«Do you remember that house you wanted to buy for us?» Morgan asked. Jake was surprised that she brought up the subject.
«Yes.»
«After we broke up I went there to look at the house. It was nice. Small, but cozy.»
«Do you regret your decision?» The man asked.
«Yes, I think so.»

«Would you like to fix everything?»
«Some things can’t be fixed, Jake,» Morgan sighed sadly.
«But something can be fixed, right?» Jake smiled and winked at her.
The girl just laughed.

Morgan’s Birthday

She didn’t like her birthday very much, but tonight Robert invited her to a restaurant to celebrate and said he had a surprise for her and he wouldn’t take no for an answer.
«This dress fits you perfectly» Lea admired when she came to visit her friend and congratulate her on her birthday.
«Do you think so?» Morgan looked herself in the mirror. She wanted to look perfect for Robert. «Would Rob like it?»

«He’s crazy about you. I think even if you go in a housecoat, he’ll be thrilled,» laughed Leah.
«I’m serious,» an annoyed Morgan threw a pillow at her friend.
«So am I,» Leah continued to laugh.
Just then a text came on Morgan’s phone. It was from Jake. He was inviting her to have dinner with him.
«That’s so sweet,» Leah pronounced.
«No, it’s not. Dinner at the same time as with Rob. I can’t be in two places at once.»
«Then you’ll have to choose one.»
«But which one?» asked Morgan, who was stumped like an animal.
«And that is for you to decide. Let your heart decide. Trust it.»

****
Dinner at one of the most expensive restaurants in the city, where Rob had invited her, went beautifully. They talked and laughed. Morgan loved Robert’s company. He had become an irreplaceable part of her life.
The waiter brought dessert.
«Before we get down to dessert, I’d like to give you your present,» Rob said.
«You shouldn’t have,» Morgan protested. «An evening and dinner with you was already a lovely gift.»
Rob pulled a velvet box from his jacket pocket, opened it and knelt in front of her.
«Morgan Riley, do you agree to be my wife?»
Morgan was shocked at such an offer. A gold ring with a huge diamond gleamed under the light of the lamps. It was certainly something she hadn’t expected.

«Me? I don’t know what to say.»
«Say «yes»,» the girl from the next table suggested. The other guests of the restaurant also asked Morgan to agree.

****
Jake was frustrated. He was sitting in the kitchen scrolling through Morgan’s Instagram account feed. He was going to ask her out to celebrate her birthday with her. Jake twirled a velvet box in his hands that contained a gold-plated ring with a tiny diamond. She would refuse to be his wife again.

There was a knock on the door. Jake, surprised, went into the hallway to see who was there. Morgan was standing on the doorstep.
«Sorry,» that’s all she could say.
«Morgan, what’s going on?»
«She chose you, mate,» said Rob, who agreed to drop Morgan off at home.

There was a knock on the door. Jake, surprised, went into the hallway to see who was there. Morgan was standing on the doorstep.
«Sorry,» that’s all she could say.
«Morgan, what’s going on?»
«She chose you, man,» said Rob, who agreed to drop Morgan off at home.
«I realized that I don’t need money or wealth. I only need you now and forever. Wherever I live, I want you by my side.»
«Can I give you a ride while I’m driving today?» Rob smiled.
«Yeah,» Jake smiled at him. They got in the car. «You know where to go.»
«Yeah, sure, bro.»

Morgan was surprised and didn’t understand anything.

Why does Jake talk to his boss like that, and why isn’t Rob mad at him?
Soon they reached their destination. The address was familiar to Morgan. It was the place where Jake was going to buy a house for them. But instead of that little one-story house, there was a tall three-story mansion.
Morgan and Jake got out of the car.
«It’s time for me to leave you two,» Rob said. «I think you have a lot to talk about.»
«This is our house,» Jake informed her as Rob’s car disappeared around the corner. «I bought it for us.»
«Bought it? But how? You don’t have any money.»
«I work at GRS,» the man said. «Don’t you remember?»
«You’re a janitor.»

«I have a confession to make. I lied to you,» Jake began his story. «When I found out you got a job there, I decided to pretend to be a janitor and check you out. I wanted to see if anything had changed in you or if you were still greedy and the only thing that mattered to you was money. Rob’s my friend. He and I started this company together. He wooed you on purpose and so did I. You told me that day at the coffee shop that I was your one and only love, and I wanted to see if you would choose love or money again. I know it’s crazy, and you’ll probably never forgive me for it, but I…»
«I needed this, too, to reevaluate my priorities and figure out what’s really important in life. I had lived in a golden cage for years, having everything, I didn’t have the most important thing: happiness. Every day I regretted letting you go…»