There's One Thing I Like About Him

Chapter Nine

Trisha

I handed the fare to the taxi driver and stepped out, suddenly struck by the realization that I had nothing to bring for him. My heart sank. How could I come empty-handed? But there was no time to dwell on it now. I quickly shook off the thought and hurried towards the hospital entrance, my heart pounding with urgency.

As I pushed through the revolving doors, a quick glance at my watch confirmed my worst fear—it was already 2 pm. Panic gripped me. I hadn’t even thought of asking Alexa what time his flight was. Was he still here?

The sterile, antiseptic smell of the hospital filled my senses as I made my way to the ICU. The last time I had been there, he was so frail, lying unconscious, hooked up to beeping machines. But when I peeked inside, my heart plummeted. The bed was empty—no sign of him.

My pulse quickened as anxiety began to take hold. I needed to know where he was. Spying a nurse passing by, I rushed over to her, my embarrassment overshadowed by desperation.

“Miss, do you know where the patient who was in the ICU is now?” I asked, my voice trembling as I fought to keep it steady. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat echoing the dread growing inside me.

The nurse looked up from her clipboard, a look of mild curiosity crossing her face. “They just left, ma’am,” she replied, her tone polite but indifferent, before turning to continue down the hallway.

I stood frozen, leaning against the cold, sterile wall for support as the reality of her words sank in. I’d missed him. A heavy sigh escaped my lips, carrying with it a flood of regret. How could I have been so careless with time? The pain in my chest grew sharper with each passing second, as if someone was slowly squeezing the air out of my lungs. Was this the end? Would I never see Ethan again? Tears welled up in my eyes as the weight of that possibility bore down on me. I hadn’t even told him how I truly felt. Was this really the last chance I’d ever have?

“Miss Alejo?” A voice, familiar yet unexpected, pulled me from my spiraling thoughts.

I looked up, startled to see Mr. Cliff was standing there, his usual air of confidence softened by a hint of concern. The scent of his cologne wafted towards me, and for a moment, it was as if Ethan was standing before me. Did they use the same fragrance? The thought was unsettling, and I quickly pushed it aside.

“Mr. Cliff?” I managed to stammer, my surprise evident. What was he doing here?

He looked at me with a puzzled expression. “What are you doing here?” he asked, his tone more curious than accusatory.

I opened my mouth to respond but found myself at a loss for words. What could I possibly say? The truth? That I was here to say a final goodbye to someone who meant more to me than I’d ever admitted, even to myself? That would be too humiliating, especially in front of Ethan’s best friend. The resolve that had brought me here in the first place began to falter, and I couldn’t bring myself to say anything coherent.

“Ah, n-nothing,” I stammered, inwardly cursing myself for the weak response. Why couldn’t I just find the right words?

Mr. Cliff raised an eyebrow, a small smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “I just saw you in the conference room, and now you’re here? Did you teleport just to do nothing?” His tone was light, but I couldn’t tell if he was teasing me or genuinely confused. Wealthy people—they always say exactly what’s on their mind, don’t they?

“Teleport? No, I—I was hoping to see Ethan,” I finally admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Oh? Do you happen to have—” Before he could finish his sentence, I instinctively reached out and covered his mouth with my hand, panic surging through me. What if someone overheard and thought I was stalking Ethan? Realizing a moment too late that I had just silenced my boss, I quickly pulled my hand back, mortified. What was I thinking? I could lose my job over this.

“I-I’m so sorry, Mr. Cliff,” I blurted out, my cheeks burning with shame as I bowed my head. “I didn’t mean to…”

He looked at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable, before finally breaking into a chuckle. “You’re quite brave, Miss Alejo.”

I looked up, meeting his gaze, my embarrassment giving way to a flicker of hope. Maybe he wasn’t angry after all.

“Ethan just got to the airport,” he said, his tone suddenly serious. “Even if you rush now, you won’t catch him.”

His words struck me like a physical blow, filling me with a deep sense of regret. Why hadn’t I left earlier? Maybe if I had, I might have caught him in time. Now, all I could do was wonder if I’d ever see him again.

“Do you like him?” The question came out of nowhere, catching me off guard. Our eyes locked, and for a moment, the world seemed to stand still. His gaze was penetrating, as if he could see straight into my heart. The weight of his question hung in the air, heavy with implications. My response, whatever it might be, felt like it could change everything.

Before I could even begin to formulate an answer, a woman’s voice cut through the tension. “Cliff.”

We both turned to see Isabelle approaching, her eyes narrowing as they landed on me. Her expression was one of suspicion, and I could almost feel her trying to piece together why I was there. I silently prayed she wouldn’t ask too many questions.

“What’s she doing here?” she demanded, her tone sharp, as she pointed a perfectly manicured finger in my direction. The hostility in her voice was palpable. She was clearly not happy to see me.

Cliff glanced at me, and I quickly shook my head, silently pleading with him not to reveal the real reason I was here. But I couldn’t tell if he understood.

“She came with me,” Cliff lied smoothly, his tone casual as he turned back to Isabelle. “I thought we might still catch Ethan. She just wanted to thank him for giving her the position she has now and to say goodbye. She’s done a great job at work, as my best friend mentioned, and he values her as a good employee. So, why not let her say goodbye to her boss?”

I felt a small wave of relief wash over me at his words. Maybe, just maybe, this encounter wouldn’t end as badly as I’d feared.

“Whatever,” Isabelle said dismissively, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “I have a flight to catch. Ethan needs me in America, so I’ll be joining him there for a few weeks.” She turned to Cliff, her demeanor softening slightly. “Could you give me a ride to the airport?”

“Sure,” he replied, his tone clipped as he gave me a small wave before turning to follow her.

I watched them walk away, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside me—regret, relief, and an overwhelming sense of loss. As they disappeared from view, I couldn’t help but wonder what the future held. Would I ever get the chance to tell Ethan how I truly felt? Or was this goodbye, the final one?