YOU ARE MY LIGHT

CHAPTER 19 : I NEVER GOT OVER HIM

My mind wouldn’t let it rest.

The one thing he said he had no choice about.

Was it the engagement?

So… he was really getting engaged.

I breathed in slowly, but it felt like the air refused to settle inside me.

It was harder than I thought to get over Mr. Vincent.

Days passed, and I made sure we didn’t meet face to face. I avoided his office, changed routes, and volunteered for different shifts.

After a while, it began to feel like I had finally gotten over him.

But maybe that was just a lie I told myself to survive.

I buried myself in work—covering people’s shifts, visiting patients, checking vitals, administering medications, and recording improvements and complaints.

I kept moving.

Because if I stopped… I would think of him.

By lunchtime, exhaustion wrapped around me. I returned to my desk and brought out my lunchbox.

“Juliet, you’ve been really busy these days,” Joy said, watching me closely.

I nodded with a small smile.

I was doing anything I could to forget Mr. Vincent.

“Let’s go for lunch. Don’t tell me you’re eating here again. Please… let’s go to the cafeteria,” Joy pleaded, almost like she already knew I would refuse.

“Why do you suddenly want to go there?” Miriam asked suspiciously, walking toward us. She leaned on Joy. “I thought you said the cafeteria food tastes like medicine and you hate eating there because an emergency might interrupt you.”

Joy blinked. “But I really want to go today.”

She gave us exaggerated puppy eyes.

A small laugh escaped my lips.

It had been a long time since I laughed naturally.

“Okay,” I said softly. “Let’s go.”

“You’re really going?” Miriam asked, surprised.

“Yes. Let’s go and taste the ‘medicine’ food,” I joked, packing my lunch back into my bag.

“Then I’m going too,” Miriam said, placing the file she was holding aside.

“Let’s go!” Joy declared dramatically, as if we were heading into battle.

We laughed and headed to the cafeteria.

The cafeteria buzzed with voices and the clatter of trays. People moved like water around tables, searching for seats.

“Why is it so busy today? Is something wrong? Has it always been like this?” Miriam asked as we looked around.

“If this is how it usually looks, then we’ve been missing out,” she whispered to me. “This must be where all the doctors and nurses secretly have their dates.”

“A date? In the cafeteria?” I raised a brow.

We laughed lightly.

The smell of food and disinfectant mixed in the air.

We lined up at the food stall. When it was our turn—

“I want vegetables. I’m on a diet,” Miriam said proudly.

“I’m not, ma,” Joy added jokingly to the woman serving food.

We laughed again.

“What do you want, Juliet?” Joy asked.

I scanned the trays.

“Ma, is the chicken wing and egg finished?” I asked.

“Yes. Someone bought everything.”

I frowned slightly. “I thought no one usually eats that here.”

“One person bought it all,” she replied.

Joy leaned toward us. “See? I told you this is date hour. Maybe someone bought it for his girlfriend. So romantic.”

“Everything is romantic to you,” Miriam teased. “Even chicken wings.”

We laughed.

“I’ll take rice and meat then,” I said quietly.

With our trays in hand, we searched for an empty table among the crowd.

“Juliet.”

I froze.

I turned slowly, trying to find where my name came from.

“Juliet.”

This time I saw him.

“Isn’t that Mr. Vincent’s colleague?” Miriam whispered.

It was Mr. David.

He was seated with someone beside him—but the crowd partially covered the person.

“Wait… how does he know your name?” Miriam asked.

“It might be because someone told him,” I whispered, though my eyes were no longer on Mr. David.

They were on him.

The crowd shifted.

And there he was.

Mr. Vincent.

His gaze was fixed on me.

Not casual.

Not distracted.

Focused.

I could feel it.

My heart started beating faster.

Faster.

“Don’t tell me he has a crush on you,” Joy whispered dramatically, covering her mouth.

“Are you okay?” Miriam tapped her head lightly. “Stop watching K-drama.”

I didn’t respond.

Because at that moment, it hit me.

I never got over him.

Not even for a second.

If anything, I had fallen deeper.

My fingers tightened around my tray.

Mr. David waved at us, signaling for us to join them.

“Finally, God has provided a table for us,” Miriam whispered excitedly.

Didn’t they see who was sitting there?

“Let’s go, Juliet,” Joy nudged me gently.

I hesitated.

“We won’t find any empty table in this five-star cafeteria if we miss this one,” Miriam said.

My legs felt heavy, but I forced them to move.

As we approached, my heartbeat grew louder.

“Isn’t that Mr. Vincent?” Miriam asked again, squinting.

“It’s him,” Joy confirmed.

“But what is he doing here? In the cafeteria?” Miriam whispered.

“Let’s turn back,” Joy said suddenly, stopping.

We all paused, pretending to adjust our trays.

I nodded slightly.

“That would be crazy. We’re already close. They’re looking at us,” Miriam whispered urgently.

“Oh my God, this isn’t what I expected,” Joy muttered.

“Wasn’t it you who insisted we come?” Miriam shot back.

“I wanted to meet someone else, not Mr. Vincent! How am I supposed to eat in front of him?” Joy whispered dramatically.

“Okay, let’s just go. It’s only for a few minutes,” Miriam said, trying to be brave.

I was completely silent.

My hands trembled slightly around my tray.

We reached the table.

The first thing I noticed—

Chicken wings and eggs.

A full plate.

Untouched.

My favorite.

“Hi girls,” Mr. David greeted warmly.

“Hi, Mr. David. Thank you for sharing your table with us,” Miriam replied.

I remained speechless.

His eyes were still on me.

“Good afternoon, Joy,” Vincent said calmly.

“Good afternoon, sir,” Joy replied respectfully.

“You can just pretend I’m not here and enjoy your food.”

Pretend?

As if my heart wasn’t threatening to betray me.

The girls quickly took seats—anywhere except directly in front of him.

The only seat left…

Was the one facing him.

“You can do it,” Joy whispered. “Besides, you’ve been his assistant before.”

My throat felt dry.

I sat down.

He adjusted the table slightly to give me space.

Under the table, my leg brushed against his.

A sharp warmth spread through me.

I pulled back immediately.

I could feel him looking at me.

“He’s the one who bought your favorite chicken wing and egg,” Miriam whispered softly—unaware he might hear.

My heart skipped.

He slowly pushed the plate toward us.

“You girls can have it. I bought it, but I don’t feel like eating it anymore,” he said.

Mr. David gave him a small, knowing smile.

It was clearly an excuse.

“Leave some for your friend Juliet,” he added. “I heard she also loves chicken wings and eggs.”

My heartbeat grew louder.

How did he know that?

The girls looked at me at the same time.

I pretended not to notice.

I picked up one wing and one egg.

We were still eating when her voice came.

“Vincent.”

My fingers tightened around the fork.

Dora walked toward the table and pulled a chair beside him.

She sat close.

Too close.

I forced myself to look away, but the heat in my chest told the truth.

“I’ve been looking for you everywhere,” she said softly.

As she leaned in slightly, I noticed it.

Very subtle.

Almost invisible.

Vincent shifted his chair.

Just a little.

Not enough for anyone to openly question it.

But enough to create space between them.

Enough for me to notice.

Enough for her to notice too.

My heart twisted.

Then her eyes fell on the plate.

The chicken wings and eggs.

“Oh… you bought this for me?” she asked with a bright smile. “You still remember my favorite.”

For a second, everything inside me went quiet.

Was I wrong?

Was I foolish for thinking—

“He didn’t—” Mr. David started, but Vincent’s gaze stopped him.

Vincent didn’t confirm it.

He didn’t deny it.

He just looked at me.

And the way he looked at me made my chest ache.

Like he was waiting for something.

Like he wanted me to understand something without words.

“Oh, Juliet. You’re here,” Dora said, her tone sweet but sharp underneath.

I forced a polite nod.

“We’re already done. We’ll be leaving,” I said before my jealousy could show on my face.

I stood up.

Because if I stayed any longer, I might break.

“Juliet, please help me return this tray,” Dora said, holding it toward me.

It sounded harmless.

But it wasn’t.

It felt like a reminder.

Like she was placing me back where she thought I belonged.

I reached for the tray.

And then—

His hand closed around mine.

Warm.

Steady.

Certain.

“Leave it. I’ll do it,” Vincent said calmly.

Not loudly.

Not dramatically.

But firmly.

I wanted to pull away, but part of me wished he would hold on.

The air around the table changed.

He released my hand slowly.

That small touch shouldn’t have mattered.

But it did.

“She wasn’t the one who brought it,” he added, his eyes locking on Dora’s.

His tone was composed.

But there was something underneath it.

A boundary.

Dora’s smile flickered.

Just for a second.

Then it returned.

“Okay… Juliet. Leave it. I’m sorry.”

But this time I saw it clearly.

Jealousy.

Controlled.

Hidden behind grace.

As we walked away, I didn’t need to turn around to know—

He was watching me.

Not her.

Me.

I just didn’t know if this beginning would heal me…

or hurt me more.