-CH 5-

Amanda pulled into the property of a luxury mansion that looked to be built within the last decade or so. The building itself was massive, looking almost like two buildings fused together due to its size which spanned an area roughly a quarter mile wide. It was painted in an elegant shade of blue with white trims along each side, though there were also black accents in some places.

By all accounts, it was a beautiful house. It was a shame that this beauty was not shared in the yard that surrounded the property. Dead leaves and dirt were all over the ground outside making it seem as if the owners did nothing but neglect their lawn and gardens on purpose. Even worse than the lackluster look of the garden was how poorly kept the landscaping around the grounds seemed to have been left as well.

Amanda could tell what Zach was thinking as she watched his eyes scan through the poorly maintained garden. She was well aware of the state of the home's exterior. Many of the home's employees had been let off to reduce spending costs leaving no one to maintain the properties' upkeep. This was just another one of Amanda's problems left by her father. One would think her family was at least capable of keeping up with the basic upkeep required for such an expensive piece of real estate. It was truly an embarrassing sight for her.

"I'm sorry for the unsightly state of our yard." She apologized as they exited the car. "Until I can pay off my family's debts, I cannot afford to pay for a gardener. I had tried to handle the landscaping by myself until things got better in the company but... I guess you can tell how well that went. I never realized how difficult of a job it was to keep up with it all of the land work." She explained with embarrassment in her voice.

"Don't worry about it," Zach replied with a chuckle before turning serious again. "I actually have a bit of experience with this kind of thing, so why don't you let me handle it for now?" He suggested, eyeing the yard warily while trying not to stare into the bushes and trees surrounding them. "I know how important looking the part is when it comes to maintaining the image of your business. If the yard is left in this state, people are going to start questioning your priorities as an owner. The first step to success is your image."

"You're right..." Amanda said after a momentary pause. "...But you know that I don't have the money to pay you? Would that be okay?"

Zach paused as he thought about what she had proposed but nodded his head nonetheless. "Of course it's okay. As long as I have a place to stay with clothes on my back and food on the table then I have no problem with working for free. That being said, I will need to see what sort of tools you have available. I can't get started if we are lacking some essentials like shovels, rakes, or wheelbarrows." He added, feeling slightly excited at having an excuse to do manual labor.

Working his office job wasn't all bad, but just doing simple manual work was always his preferred way of relaxing. There was something satisfying about using one's own hands to build things instead of sitting behind a desk all day staring at a monitor. And though it might sound strange, there was a certain appeal in digging one's bare feet into soft dirt rather than hard carpet. It reminded him of his early days. When things were simple.

"There should be plenty in the shed out back, I think." She replied with a hint of uncertainty. "I haven't really taken a look in there for quite some time, but I'm sure we have everything that you'll need."

Zach didn't know how much work these grounds would need to return to how they once were, but with as nice as this house looked, he hoped that it wouldn't take too long to restore it to its former glory. But that could wait. He had yet to see the inside of this estate.

"We can worry about the tools later, How about you give me the grand tour?" Zach asked enthusiastically.

"Sure, I'd love to!" Amanda gave a smile before turning around and leading him toward the main entrance of the building. They both made a point to avoid looking anywhere near the garden as she pushed open the arched doors that led them inside to where the mansion's foyer stood waiting for them.

It was beautiful... Absolutely stunning even. The walls, flooring, ceiling, and all other surfaces were crafted from stone with gorgeous designs etched into each individual piece of the material. The effect was breathtaking as each tiny detail was highlighted by the light shining down upon it. He had never seen a more impressive work of art or craftsmanship in his life. In fact, the whole place felt like a museum or gallery rather than a home. Though there was one thing that had caught his eye as he admired the home.

Between every remarkable feature or masterpiece on display lay a dark spot filled with what looked to be takeout or delivery bags. In fact, there were so many of them strewn about that there seemed no room left for anything else. What kind of life had this young woman been living in order to let such a place get this cluttered?

"Hehe, I guess I should have cleaned up a bit, right? I haven't really had any company here since I let everyone go. It's actually a little embarrassing." She admitted as she turned around to face her companion with reddened cheeks. "B-but don't worry, I'm going to clean it all up right now."

Zach wasn't sure how anyone could look at the amount of garbage that littered the floors and remain calm and composed. Cleaning up a bit was an understatement. This place needed to be gutted completely if he wanted it to look halfway decent again. The state of this place was almost as bad as the garden outside. Only instead of dead leaves and dirt covering the floor, it appeared to be crusted with food and drink stains.

Did no one ever teach this lady about housekeeping? I guess that's just one of the perks of being rich. She had probably never had to do much cleaning herself with a slew of personal maids or butlers taking care of everything for her.

Even now, he watched as she nervously searched for what he could only assume was a broom to aid in cleaning the mess. As she reached for a nearby cabinet he stepped forward quickly in order to offer his assistance. It wasn't like he was opposed to cleaning, and it would probably be faster if he was to take care of this in her stead.

"No, No! You shouldn't have to do all this yourself!" He insisted. "Let me take care of this to show my gratitude. A little cleaning has never hurt me. If anything, it will help clear out my head." He smiled reassuringly at her before picking up two plates full of leftovers that were laying on a side table near them.

"Are you sure? I don't want to just push my work onto you." She asked hesitantly.

"Trust me, I've done plenty of hard labor and I'm still standing here with no problems. Besides, don't think of it as pushing your work onto me. We're partners in crime, aren't we? It only makes sense to help each other as much as possible."

"I guess you have a point..." Amanda said after giving it some thought. Zach could only wonder what type of parents would leave such an agreeable girl alone without anyone to look after her. It was no wonder that she had been targeted by that shady company. She's just a walking target that nobody could resist.

He had noticed it before but now that they were all alone in this grand home, he finally had the time to appreciate the beautiful woman that stood before him. Her long hair fell gracefully down the back of the white dress she wore with one loose lock hanging over her shoulder. The fabric fit her slender figure perfectly making it difficult to tell where her outfit ended and her body began. Though he found himself staring more at her legs than any part of her torso. There was something about how her skin seemed so smooth and flawless that made his mind wander and conjure up images of her form lying beneath his sheets as they lay interlocked together under the cover of night.

He felt his face turn red as his imagination ran wild, even though it didn't make a lot of sense for him to be thinking these things considering how great she had treated him. Her innocent smile quickly reminded him why he needed to focus on getting this place cleaned instead of dwelling on these thoughts. He wasn't here to prey on the young woman. He was here to help create a better life for the both of them. He shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind before turning away from her and returning to his duty.