Chapter 11 The Unexpected Opportunity

Elena reacted quickly, asking only three questions.

"Is Arthur all right? Where are you? I'm coming right away."

Emily followed Elena out the door. On a small path near the neighborhood pool, they found Arthur lying on the ground with a pained expression, and a distressed Oliver standing nearby.

Arthur had probably chosen this secluded path to avoid Oliver accidentally hitting pedestrians while biking, which explained why no one had come to help despite how long he'd been there.

Seeing the situation, Emily immediately called an ambulance.

An elderly person falling was serious business—a proper medical examination was absolutely necessary.

"Mrs. Howard, why don't you take Oliver home? I'll stay here with Mr. Howard until the ambulance arrives," Emily suggested.

"Alright." Though clearly worried about her husband, Elena could see that Oliver was shaken by the incident. She fought back tears and led the boy home.

The ambulance arrived shortly after. As Arthur was wheeled away for examination, he handed Emily his wallet. "Emily, my driver's license and money are all in here. Thank you for your help."

"Please don't mention it, Mr. Howard. This is what I'm here for."

Apparently anticipating emergencies like this, Arthur kept his wallet meticulously organized. His medical insurance card, driver's license, and even a small notebook listing his medications and underlying health conditions were all there.

This made Emily's job much easier and communication with the doctors went smoothly.

Emily ran back and forth handling payments and examination forms. When the results finally came in, they showed Arthur had suffered a minor fracture in his left leg that required hospitalization.

After completing the admission procedures, Emily called Elena to explain the situation and reassured her not to worry.

It was past ten o'clock when she finished. Arthur looked at Emily apologetically, "I'm sorry, Emily. I've caused you so much trouble."

Emily smiled and poured him a glass of water. "It's no trouble at all. I should head back now. What would you like to eat tomorrow? I'll prepare it and bring it over."

Since caring for hospital patients wasn't part of Emily's job description, they agreed to hire a caregiver aide.

"Here," Arthur said, pulling a hundred-dollar bill from his wallet and handing it to Emily. "Take a taxi home. I'll cover the fare."

Emily accepted it without hesitation—this was overtime work, after all, and reimbursement for transportation was reasonable.

"Thank you, Mr. Howard. I'll bring you the receipt and change tomorrow."

Arthur waved dismissively. "Don't bother with that."

"I insist. I'll be going now."

Early the next morning, Emily arrived at the hospital with breakfast.

She'd prepared protein-rich, easily digestible food perfect for someone with a fracture: beef and barley soup with a side of scrambled eggs. She also brought a small container of fresh fruit for vitamins, ensuring a well-balanced meal.

A nurse passing by couldn't help but compliment the food, asking Arthur, "Is this your daughter? She's very thoughtful."

Arthur smiled and shook his head. "No, no. This is our all-around housekeeper. More reliable than any child could be."

"I see," the nurse remarked, giving Emily a surprised look. "Well, professors' housekeepers certainly are different—she looks like an academic herself."

"Of course! She's highly educated. Being a housekeeper is just a transitional phase for her. She has a bright future ahead," Arthur declared with evident pride.

Emily smiled and stayed silent, not daring to reveal her intention to dedicate her career to professional housekeeping.

For lunch, Emily prepared a hearty fish chowder, roasted chicken with spring vegetables, and grilled shrimp. She also baked colorful vegetable-infused dinner rolls. When she arrived at the hospital, she found an elderly gentleman sitting by Arthur's bed, the two engaged in animated conversation.

Seeing the food Emily brought, the gentleman frowned almost imperceptibly. "Arthur, perhaps I should arrange for a nutrition specialist to prepare some meals for you. It might help you recover faster."

Emily felt a pang of concern. Was he targeting her?

Arthur declined, "Thank you for the offer, Jonah, but Emily's cooking suits me perfectly. I doubt I'd enjoy those specialized nutrition meals."

"But... but eating like this while you're hospitalized won't help your recovery," Jonah Anderson replied, giving Emily a reproachful look that seemed to blame her for providing inadequate meals.

Emily couldn't let this pass. "With all due respect, sir, that's not quite accurate. I've carefully considered Mr. Howard's condition when preparing these meals. They include protein, meat, grains, vegetables, and fruit—all appropriate for a patient's recovery."

Jonah was surprised that the housekeeper would speak to him this way. "You've got quite a sharp tongue for a housekeeper. How dare you speak to me like that?"

Emily gave him a polite smile. "I don't know your position, sir, but I believe that regardless of what someone eats, the most important thing is that the patient enjoys it and eats enough to recover quickly. Wouldn't you agree?"

Arthur quickly intervened, "Don't intimidate Emily, Jonah. I love her cooking, and the doctor this morning even praised the nutritional value of her breakfast. Please don't worry."

Accustomed to being respected, Jonah was taken aback by a housekeeper who spoke to him so confidently. Though he appeared critical, his eyes betrayed a hint of admiration.

"Emily, right? Arthur tells me you're only working for him for a month. As it happens, my housekeeper is taking leave next month. Would you consider working for me for a month as well?"

"Me?" Emily thought she must have misheard. "But you just criticized my cooking for lacking nutrition."

"What I meant was that these dishes might not have sufficient nutrition for a patient, but they do look appetizing," Jonah said, self-consciously touching his nose before asking, "Well, aren't you interested?"

In reality, Jonah had been eyeing the aromatic food in the containers, swallowing several times in anticipation.

"Of course I'm interested. Please leave me your contact information, and I'll get in touch with you when I'm done working here." When a client approached her, she couldn't possibly refuse.

Jonah gave Emily a phone number. "This is my house manager. Contact him when you finish working for Arthur, and he'll make the arrangements."

Emily felt a surge of excitement.

The fact that this gentleman employed a house manager suggested he lived in a mansion. She never imagined she'd one day work in such a grand home.

After Jonah left, Arthur reassured Emily, "Don't take it personally. That's just how he talks. He's been a chairman for half his life and is used to critiquing his subordinates."

Emily shook her head. "Don't worry, I'm fine. Besides, Mr. Anderson even invited me to work for him. I think he's quite nice."

"He is indeed a good person," Arthur began reminiscing. "We were college classmates, then pursued graduate studies together. After graduation, I went into academia while he chose entrepreneurship. Have you heard of the Anderson Group? He's Jonah Anderson, the chairman of the Anderson Group."

"Jonah... Anderson!" Emily froze in astonishment.