Chapter 4: The Call
1182 Words
Bianca stared at the screen of her phone as it continued to ring. It was Carson’s number. It glowed brightly against the dark screen, as if demanding her attention, the room felt strangely quiet.
Across the desk, Alexander Grant leaned back in his chair, watching her with mild curiosity.
“Well?” he said calmly. “Are you going to answer it?”
Bianca didn’t respond, her mind was racing. Just hours ago, Carson had stood on a balcony and told her he was marrying another woman. He had chosen wealth and power over the five years they had spent building a life together and now he was calling.
Why?
The phone kept ringing. Bianca’s thumb hovered over the screen then she pressed decline. The ringing stopped and a heavy silence settled over the office.
Alexander raised an eyebrow slightly.
“That was quick.”
Bianca placed the phone face down on the desk.
“There’s nothing left to say.”
Alexander studied her carefully.
“Interesting,” he murmured.
Bianca frowned slightly. “What is?”
“Most people in your position would answer. They would want explanations, apologies, closure.”
His gaze sharpened, “But you didn’t.”
Bianca looked toward the window where the city lights shimmered across the dark sky.
“I already got my answer tonight.”
Alexander said nothing, just stared then he nodded slowly.
“Good.”
Bianca turned back to him.
“Good?”
“Yes,” he replied calmly. “Because hesitation destroys opportunity.” He tapped the folder on the desk.
“If you’re going to build something extraordinary, you can’t afford to live in the past.”
Bianca exhaled slowly. That chapter of her life had ended tonight and deep down, she knew there was no going back but before she could respond, her phone rang again. Both of them looked down, it was Carson.
Bianca felt her chest tighten slightly as Alexander leaned forward.
“He seems persistent.” He said. Bianca stared at the screen. Memories rushed through her mind, late nights working together, quiet dinners in their small apartment, the way Carson used to smile at her when things finally started going well for the company but that man no longer existed.
The Carson Dane she saw tonight had been cold, calculating and distant. The phone continued ringing and this time, Bianca answered.
She lifted the phone to her ear but didn’t speak.
“Bianca?”
Carson’s voice sounded tense.
She closed her eyes briefly….“Yes.”
There was a brief pause on the other end.
“Where are you?” he asked.
His voice carried an edge of urgency she hadn’t expected.
“Why does it matter?” Bianca replied quietly.
There was another pause.
“Just tell me where you are.”
Bianca glanced at Alexander, who was silently observing the conversation.
“Carson,” she said calmly, “you made your decision tonight.”
“That’s not what this is about.”
“Then what is it about?”
Carson exhaled sharply.
“When you left you…you looked upset.”
Bianca almost laughed. “Of course I was upset,” she said. “You ended our relationship in front of your future fiancée.”
“That wasn’t my intention.”
“Really?” The bitterness in her voice surprised even herself.
Carson hesitated.
“Bianca..I didn’t want things to happen like that.”
“But they did.”
Across the desk, Alexander leaned back with clear interest, as if listening to an intriguing business negotiation. Finally Carson spoke again.
“I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
Bianca’s grip on the phone tightened. For five years, those words would have meant everything to her but tonight, they felt empty.
“I’ll be fine,” she said.
“Where are you?”
“Somewhere you don’t need to worry about.”
Another pause followed.
Then Carson said quietly, “Bianca, can we meet tomorrow?”
Her heart skipped slightly but she forced her voice to remain steady.
“Why?”
“I think we should talk.”
Bianca glanced at the folder in front of her. Five years, a new life, a future far beyond anything she had imagined before tonight.
She slowly shook her head, even though Carson couldn’t see her.
“There’s nothing left to discuss.”
“That’s not true.”
“It is.”
Carson’s voice hardened slightly.
“Bianca, five years isn’t something you just walk away from.”
Bianca felt a strange calm settle over her.
“No,” she said softly. “It’s not.”
Then she added quietly, “But you already did.”
The words hung heavily in the air. For a long moment, Carson didn’t respond. Finally he spoke again, his voice quieter now.
“I didn’t expect you to disappear like this.”
Bianca looked out the window again. The city lights seemed different now, distant, unfamiliar.
“I won’t be around much longer anyway,” she said.
Carson immediately reacted.
“What does that mean?”
Bianca glanced at Alexander, whose expression remained unreadable.
“It means,” she said slowly, “our lives are going in different directions.”
Carson sounded frustrated.
“You’re overreacting.”
Bianca almost smiled.
“Am I?”
“Yes.”
“Well,” she replied calmly, “maybe you’ll understand someday.”
“Bianca”
She ended the call. The silence that followed felt heavier than before.
Alexander finally spoke, “That was decisive.”
Bianca placed the phone back on the desk. “He made his choice,” she said quietly.
Alexander nodded approvingly.
“Good.”
He stood and walked toward the window again.
“Because starting tomorrow, your life is going to change completely.”
Bianca crossed her arms.
“What happens tomorrow?”
Alexander turned back toward her.
“You’ll leave the country.”
Her eyes widened slightly.
“That soon?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“London,” he said.
Bianca blinked.
“London?”
“Our first headquarters is there,” Alexander explained. “You’ll begin training immediately.” Bianca felt a strange mixture of fear and excitement. Everything was happening so quickly but perhaps that was exactly what she needed.
She stood slowly.
“When do I leave?”
Alexander checked his watch.
“In eight hours.”
Bianca inhaled sharply.
“Eight hours?”
“Yes.”
He smiled faintly.
“Your flight leaves at sunrise.” For a moment, Bianca stood frozen. Eight hours to leave behind everything she had ever known. Her city, her past…carson.But then she remembered the balcony, the engagement, the humiliation and slowly, she nodded.
“Alright.”
Alexander extended his hand.
“Welcome to your new life, Bianca Shane.”
She shook it firmly and somewhere across the city, Carson Dane stood on his penthouse balcony, staring down at his silent phone.
For the first time that night, a strange feeling of unease settled in his chest as if something important had just slipped out of his grasp.
- Writer
