my return will be your downfall

NEW JOB

If Harrison ever discovered that he had left his assigned location without permission, the consequences could be serious.

He couldn't allow himself to become careless.

He would need to plan better, pay even closer attention to the time, and make sure any additional work could be completed without interfering with his responsibilities.

For now, he had earned extra money and fulfilled his duties.

He intended to keep it that way.

---

That evening, Adrian returned home exhausted.

His arms ached from the construction work, and his shoulders felt stiff. He placed his bag beside the bed and sat down for a moment before removing his shoes.

Then he remembered the money in his wallet.

He opened it and counted his earnings from the construction site once more.

After setting aside the amount he needed for transportation and food, he added the remainder to his handbag savings.

He recorded the new total in his notebook.

The amount was still far below the price of the designer bag, but it was more than he had possessed the previous day.

He stared at the figure for a moment.

"Little by little," he whispered.

He closed the notebook and placed it carefully inside the drawer.

His phone lay beside it.

Adrian picked up the phone and opened his conversation with Vanessa.

He considered sending her a message, but he stopped himself.

He didn't want to disturb her if she was still out with her friends.

Instead, he decided to wait until he could speak with her properly.

He went to the kitchen, prepared dinner, and ate quietly.

After washing his plate, he returned to the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed.

The day had been exhausting.

He had spent hours driving, worked at a construction site, hurried back to his employer, and completed his regular duties.

His body wanted nothing more than sleep.

Yet, when he thought about the handbag, he found himself smiling faintly.

He imagined the day he would finally walk into the shop, pay for the bag without worrying about the money remaining in his account, and take it home for Vanessa.

He imagined the surprise on her face.

Perhaps she would smile at him the way she used to.

Perhaps they would finally stop arguing about money for the moment.

Perhaps things between them would become easier.

Adrian knew that a handbag could not solve every problem in a relationship.

But he hoped that his effort would show Vanessa how much he cared.

He lay back against the pillow and closed his eyes.

Tomorrow, he would wake up early again.

There would be another day of driving, another opportunity to earn extra money if the right circumstances presented themselves, and another chance to move closer to his goal.

For now, he was satisfied with the small progress he had made.

He had earned money that he had not possessed that morning, and he had returned to his employer before he was needed.

The designer handbag was still beyond his reach, but Adrian was determined to keep working until he could afford it.