“Ingrid, I won’t be in touch for a while. Don’t contact me either. I don’t want Dorothy getting the wrong idea.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but all I heard was the sharp click of the call ending. He hung up without waiting for a word. He often calls me Gigi, my childhood nickname. I knew he was pissed off.
Images of Dorothy flooded my mind—her flushed face as she clung to him, beaming at the new necklace he'd gifted her. Once, I believed that necklace might’ve been meant for me, a surprise waiting to be revealed. But it was all just my delusion, wasn’t it? How foolish I’d been, thinking he would remember the warmth of that night, that it meant anything to him.
I left the hospital, stepping into the harsh bite of the cold wind. Wrapping my arms tightly around myself, I shivered, my body weak and my steps uncertain. With trembling fingers, I dialed a number I’d been holding onto for too long.
“Boss,” I said, my voice steady despite the whirlwind inside me, “I’ve decided. I'll take up your offer to establish the overseas branch.”
An old, familiar voice crackled on the other end of the line, filled with excitement.
“Ah, Ingrid! I’ve been waiting for this call for a long time,” the boss said, his tone warm and enthusiastic. “You’re young, talented, and have such a sharp business mind. I’ve always admired your potential.”
He paused for a moment, then continued, “When you resigned so suddenly, it really caught me off guard. We had to put the overseas expansion plans on hold. But now that you're ready, we can move forward.”
“You don’t need to worry about anything. I’ll handle your flights and accommodations. Just focus on getting there.”
Within minutes, a text message arrived with the details—my flight was booked, scheduled to leave in a week.
When I told my best friend I was leaving, her face tightened with worry. “Does Asher know about this? Don’t forget, just last month when he couldn’t find you, he nearly tore my door down.”