Austin's words kept replaying in my mind:
"We'll meet again soon. Don't forget me, okay?"
I was lost in thought when Adam's voice dragged me back to reality.
"So, do you know him well?" Adam asked, his curiosity sharp.
"No," I replied, shaking my head. "That was our first meeting."
Adam gave a dismissive shrug. "Well, forget about him. I don't think he's worth getting too worked up over."
I frowned. "What do you mean by that?"
He waved me off, shifting gears without warning. "Anyway, I have something important to tell you. Amy said she'd be the one to break it to you, but..."
I shot him a pointed look. "Idiot. Now you have to tell me."
Adam grinned, knowing exactly how much I hated being left in suspense. "Okay, okay. Here's the thing—Amy might stop by with a business update on your behalf. Could take up to ten days, though. She said it depends on your discharge from the hospital."
"Oh, great," I muttered sarcastically. "So, I just have to sit tight and wait until then?"
"Exactly," he said with a smug smile. "Even if I wanted to tell you more, I couldn't. I'm just as clueless."
"Ugh." I groaned, rubbing my temples. "Get out of here before I do something stupid."
Adam chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. I'm going, I'm going."
He walked to the door, but just as he reached it, he stopped. Turning back around with a mischievous glint in his eye, he grinned like a kid who had just pulled off a prank.
"By the way..." He stuck out his tongue like an impish child. "Screw you."
I clenched my fists, half-joking, half-serious. "This man will be the death of me. And when I strangle him, I'll happily serve my time in jail."
With that, Adam slipped out of the room, laughing as he went.
After ten long days, my discharge had finally arrived. Twenty days since the accident. I was getting out of the hospital today. Another round of bandages wrapped tight, but I was free. The clear blue sky above felt like a gift as I waited eagerly, lying on the bed and staring out the window.
Amy was supposed to pick me up this afternoon, and I was counting the minutes until her arrival. The anticipation of seeing her and hearing what she had to say stirred something restless in me. The sunbathed view outside was calming, but my thoughts wouldn't sit still.
Suddenly, I felt a hand cover my eyes from behind.
"Adam, is that you?" I guessed, expecting his usual mischief.
No answer.
"AMY!" I exclaimed, turning around, and there she was, smiling warmly. It had been days since I'd seen her, and without thinking, I pulled her into a tight hug.
"It's so good to see you," I said, relieved and happy.
She laughed softly. "I missed you too. How are you feeling?"
"Better, now that you're here," I grinned, then wasted no time asking, "So, what's the important thing you wanted to tell me?"
She hesitated for a moment, and her tone grew serious. "Well, it's about Edwin."
A chill ran through me at the mention of his name. "What happened to him? Did he get into a car accident?" I asked, my voice trembling as images of Edwin lying in a hospital bed flashed through my mind.
"No, no! Nothing like that," she reassured me quickly.
I let out a deep sigh of relief. "You scared me there for a second."
"Alright, calm down," she said with a soft laugh. "But... well, it's still something serious—Edwin resigned from the company."
Her words hung in the air between us. I blinked, stunned for a moment. "Oh… well, that's better than him being in a hospital bed, I suppose."
Amy gave a small, knowing smile. "True," she agreed.
We stood in comfortable silence for a few moments, digesting the news. It made sense now why Edwin hadn't contacted me—or anyone else, for that matter. But I still needed answers. Something didn't feel right.
Determined, I grabbed my phone and dialed Austin Parker.
"Hello, Miss Everett," Austin answered smoothly on the second ring. "What brings you to call me today?"
"Well, it's about the collaboration we were planning," I said, keeping my voice neutral. "I'm getting discharged today, and I'd like to meet you if that's okay."
"Of course," Austin replied without hesitation. "I'm free today. Just say the word."
I hesitated briefly, but I knew what I had to ask. "There's one small favor I need, Austin… Can you bring Edwin with you?"
There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Why do you need him?" Austin asked, his voice cautious.
"I need to talk to him—today. I just found out he resigned, and he's been ignoring my calls and messages. I need to understand why."
Austin's voice softened slightly. "Alright. I'll bring him."
"Thank you. But, Austin... don't tell him I'll be there. If he knows, he won't come."
A low chuckle came through the line. "Understood, Miss Everett. I'll handle it."
Relieved, I smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Parker."
With that, I ended the call and glanced around the room, feeling a sudden sense of urgency. Amy and I wasted no time packing up my belongings—clothes, toiletries, papers. Adam showed up just as we were about to leave, and we exchanged quick farewells.
Then, without looking back, we got into the car and drove toward the company—toward answers.