“Dress warm. It's been raining the past couple days and the temperature's dropped. I don't want you catching cold again……”
He was mid-sentence when his phone rang.
He glanced at the screen, then stole a guilty look at me.
“Zoe, give me one sec. It's someone from my team.”
Before all this, I had given Damien my trust without reservation.
But maybe it was because of what happened last night. Something in my gut just knew.
That call was from Christine.
I slipped out of bed and crept to the door, pressing my ear against it. Damien kept his voice low, but I heard every word.
“I know, I know. Christine, don't panic. You've still got me.”
“There are still a few days left, right? I'll figure something out. Don't worry.”
“Okay, okay, okay. I'm heading over now. We'll talk it through together.”
The moment I heard that, I scrambled back into bed.
I had barely pulled the covers up when he pushed the door open.
The urgency from minutes ago, the insistence on rushing me to the hospital, was gone. In its place, guilt was written across every line of his face.
“Zoe, something came up at the office. I have to go back and put in some overtime.”
“I thought about it, and your fever's already broken, so it should be fine to skip the hospital. Just rest up.”
“You know how much the National Jewelry Competition means to me. I can't afford any mistakes.”
I nodded. I didn't ask him to stay.
I watched him hurry out, and it felt like a thousand tiny teeth gnawing at the inside of my chest.
The competition. Was it really so important to you, or was it important to Christine?
I picked up my phone and dialed my secretary.
“Is anyone working overtime today?”
Damien had been on my team since his internship.
For this year's National Jewelry Competition, his entry piece was a group effort. The entire team had poured everything into it, all of us hoping he'd place well.
If he could make a name for himself, it would be the best possible outcome for his career and for the company.
My question seemed to confuse my secretary.
“No overtime. We all left a while ago.”
“Ms. Payne, you're the one steering the ship. If you're not here, what would we even be working on?”
“Though I did hear Team Two's competition entry hit some kind of snag. They were still in a meeting when we left.”
I already knew the answer. But hearing it confirmed still sent a sharp sting through my nose, tears threatening to rise.
I was already thirty-five when I got together with Damien. He was my first love.
When we started dating, the whole world told me not to. Friends, parents, everyone said this relationship was doomed.
But I believed in him anyway, without hesitation, and I used every resource I had to help him find his footing in this industry.
Damien, you let me down. And you let down every ounce of conviction I had when I chose you against all odds.
Every resource I had to help him find his footing in this industry?
The thought sent a jolt through me. I forced myself up despite my body's protests and walked into the study.
Maybe it was all the sleep I'd gotten during the day, but I didn't feel the slightest bit tired. I sat on the living room sofa the entire night.
Damien didn't come home. Not once, the whole night.
Dawn was just breaking when he finally walked through the door. He flinched when he saw me sitting on the sofa.
“Zoe, why are you up so early?”
“Are you still feeling sick? Did you go to the hospital? What did the doctor say?”
“This is all my fault for being so busy. I haven't been able to take care of you properly. I still have to run to the office for the competition designs. I just came back to grab a file and then I'm heading out again. Stay home and rest, okay?”
