It pays to be rich.
My fingers tap against the leather rhythmically, considering if I should do a quick search to see how much a Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended costs.
No, don’t do it.
Another few minutes pass, my inner conscience pulling at me to check or not to check.
Screw it.
My fingers are typing the car’s make and model into the search bar on my screen before I can say don’t.
“Holy shit,” I gasp.
Over five hundred thousand dollars. For a car.
“Is something wrong?” Clark asks, peering at me in the rearview mirror.
“Nope, not a thing.” I put my phone into sleep mode, pressing my lips together to stop myself from saying Eli’s new car could feed thousands of people at the homeless shelter I volunteer at as often as I can.
The do-gooder in me is desperate to say something, while the other part of me is telling me to shut up. It takes all kinds to make the world go around, rich and poor.
It’s also my reminder that while I might now be considered wealthy, Eli’s wealth is next level.
I stare out of the window, watching the streets pass by in a blur, the temptation strong yet again to look up how rich Eli is exactly.
That’s crass. Don’t do it.
Do it. You know you want to.
Don’t, you’ll only want to run the other way.
Do it, Sapphire. Do it, do it…My inner devil keeps getting on my nerves, and the next thing I know, the screen of my phone is back on, and I’m googling Eli’s personal wealth. I know Hart Law’s revenue was billions last year but Eli’s…
I pull in a breath as the search returns an incomprehensible figure.
Oh.
My.
Fucking.
God.
“Five point eight billion,” I whisper, aghast.
“Did you say something?” Clark asks.
“Eh, no.” I keep my head down and read the search results, my eyes scanning the facts across the screen as my brain struggles to keep up.
Eli owns thousands of properties and land throughout the state and beyond.
He has shares in several well-known businesses, and he’s involved in apprenticeship programs through which he personally funds scholarships for underprivileged children, as does the firm, and he donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to at least a dozen others. The list goes on and on. If there was a gold medal for having the ultimate résumé, hands down he would win.
My eyes skim the list of charities he donates to, and as I reach the last one, I feel foolish for making assumptions about him.
Elijah Hart of Hart Law bought and donated The Roseline Building, turning it into a homeless shelter that provides safety, food, and shelter to thousands of homeless people each year.
He’s not only kind, but also a pillar of the community and a gentle giant with a heart of gold.