I Slept with My Boss and Ran Away

Mrs. Lawson had been on edge lately because of the trouble caused by Joy Chaucer. She was too scared to go upstairs at night. Since her dog Mimi went missing, Mrs. Lawson had lost her appetite and barely cooked, hardly buying any groceries.

Mrs. Fairchild, who worked as a nanny, couldn't be with Mrs. Lawson every day. During the day, Mrs. Lawson wasn't as frightened, but as night fell, her anxiety grew.

As dusk descended, Mrs. Lawson gathered the clothes from the yard and cooked some noodles for dinner. She cleaned up meticulously; there wasn't a single noodle left in the kitchen, and the fridge held only a few vegetables and some celery. After finishing everything, Mrs. Lawson retired to her room to rest.

Meanwhile, Joy Chaucer, who was living in the attic, was starving. She sneaked downstairs into the kitchen but found nothing to eat except for half an apple left by Mrs. Lawson. Desperate, Joy ate it quietly, knowing she couldn't risk cooking and waking Mrs. Lawson.

Joy had been hiding here for almost a month and was on the verge of losing her mind from confinement and deprivation. She couldn't wash her clothes; everything she had worn was stuffed into the wardrobe, which was nearly empty now. After eating the half apple, Joy passed through the living room and saw the phone. Thinking of Ferris, she glanced at Mrs. Lawson's room from where snoring emanated. "Sleeping like a log," Joy muttered under her breath before picking up the phone to call Ferris.

This was the first time Joy contacted Ferris since escaping prison. Ferris, under police surveillance, couldn't risk coming to Chaucer Manor. Answering an unknown number cautiously, Ferris said, "Hello, who is this?"

"It's me," Joy replied, almost breaking down in tears upon hearing Ferris's voice. She felt deeply wronged, hiding here while pregnant with his child.

Ferris was equally shocked to hear her voice. "Where are you? Are you still at Chaucer Manor? Joy, don't move around; the police are looking for you everywhere. I'm also being watched and can't come to you right now. Stay hidden until things calm down; then I'll get you out of the country."

"You knew I was at Chaucer Manor?" Joy was surprised. "How did you know?"

"I arranged for a gang to break you out of prison; I didn't expect them to bring you back to Chaucer Manor," Ferris explained. "But I figured the most dangerous place would be the safest."

"Ferris, I'm so hungry," Joy's spirit had been crushed by her long stay in the attic without proper food or clothing.

"Hungry?" Ferris asked in confusion. "Then find something to eat."

"Mrs. Lawson barely cooks or buys groceries; there's nothing for me to eat here," Joy complained bitterly. "Ferris, get me out of here; I can't stand another moment."

"Joy, calm down and be patient," Ferris tried to soothe her. "You're wanted everywhere; if you're seen, you'll be exposed. How's our baby?"

He was concerned about their child-his first.

Joy looked down at her slightly swollen belly and felt even more desperate. "Ferris, you have a few days to get me out of here! If that gang could break me out of prison, they can get me out of the country! I've had enough of starving." Her raised voice woke Mrs. Lawson in her room. Startled by faint voices from the living room, she feared someone had broken in.

Carefully lifting her blanket and putting on a coat, Mrs. Lawson tiptoed to the door and opened it slightly to peek into the living room through the crack.