Chapter 4
1304 Words
Two weeks had passed since the night that changed everything.
The gunshot wound had begun to heal. The stitches no longer pulled as painfully as they once had, and the dizziness came less frequently now. But some wounds weren't the kind doctors could treat with medication and rest.
Losing her child had left a hollow space inside her that nothing seemed capable of filling.
The first few days after the surgery had been the hardest. There were moments when she would wake suddenly in the middle of the night, her hand instinctively moving to her stomach before reality came crashing down all over again. Every single time, the pain felt just as fresh.
Through it all, Rachel her best friend never left her side for long.
Racheal came almost every day, armed with coffee, snacks, and enough gossip to fill several newspapers. Some days Rachel talked so much that Asia barely needed to respond. Other days, she simply sat quietly beside the hospital bed and offered companionship when words felt unnecessary.
Kelvin's grandmother was no different.
The older woman visited frequently, always bringing homemade soup and endless reminders that Asia needed to focus on recovering properly. If anything, she seemed more concerned about Asia's wellbeing than her own grandson did.
Because during those two weeks, Kelvin never came.
Not once.
There were explanations, of course.
According to everyone else, he had been away handling important business matters. There were meetings that couldn't be postponed, negotiations that required his attention, and projects that demanded immediate supervision. Somewhere in those explanations was Jane's name as well, though nobody ever said it directly.
Asia stopped asking questions after the first few days.
At first, she had found herself glancing toward the door whenever footsteps approached the room.
Then she stopped.Eventually, she stopped expecting anything at all.
The realization should have hurt more than it did but Instead, it left her strangely calm.
The day she was discharged, the weather was unusually pleasant.
Sunlight streamed through the hospital windows while Rachel handled most of the paperwork and Kelvin's grandmother fussed over whether Asia was dressed warmly enough.
"You've barely recovered," the older woman complained while adjusting the light shawl around Asia's shoulders. "The doctors should have kept you another week."
Asia couldn't help the small smile that appeared.
"If they kept me any longer, Rachel would probably start charging them for occupying her time."
Rachel gasped dramatically.
"Excuse me? My time is expensive. I would charge consulting fees."
For the first time in what felt like forever, a genuine laugh escaped Asia's lips.
The drive home was quiet.
Asia sat beside the window, watching the familiar streets of Flinton City pass by. People hurried along sidewalks,Cars moved through traffic and Businesses opened their doors for another day.
Life had continued moving forward while she was stuck in a hospital room.
Somehow, returning home felt different than she had imagined.Not because the house had changed.
Because she had.
That evening passed peacefully enough.
Kelvin wasn't home.
Nobody seemed particularly surprised by that.
Asia had dinner with his grandmother, listened to Rachel threaten several doctors for discharging her too early, and retired to her room shortly afterward.
For the first time in years, she didn't stay awake waiting for the sound of Kelvin's car.
The next morning, she woke earlier than everyone else.
Old habits were difficult to break.
After showering and dressing comfortably, she made her way downstairs and settled at the dining table with a cup of coffee. The house was quiet at that hour, giving her a rare moment of peace.
Halfway through her breakfast, she suddenly remembered several important documents she had left in her office before the shooting.
Several files she would eventually need.
She picked up her phone and dialed her secretary's number.The call connected almost immediately.
"Mrs. Fletcher," her secretary greeted.
"Good morning, Emily. There are a few files on my office desk. I need them sent over."
There was a brief pause.
Asia frowned.
"Emily?"
"Mrs. Fletcher..." The younger woman's voice suddenly sounded hesitant. "The files are no longer in your office."
"What do you mean?"
"There was a management transfer approved last week. The documents were moved to the new executive manager's office."
Asia slowly straightened in her chair.A strange feeling settled in her chest.
"Who approved the transfer?"
Before Emily could answer, the front door opened.
Asia's gaze lifted automatically.
Kelvin walked inside carrying his suit jacket over one arm while checking something on his phone. He looked perfectly fine.As though the last two weeks had been ordinary days in an ordinary month.
For a brief moment, their eyes met.
Then he glanced away.
"You're back."
The greeting was casual.
Asia stared at him for a second before replying.
"Yes as we all can see”.
He gave a short nod and continued walking.
On the other end of the line, Emily was still waiting.
Asia looked away from Kelvin.
"We'll talk later."
She ended the call.
By then, Kelvin had finally looked up properly.
"How are you feeling?"
The question almost made Asia laugh but she had to compose herself.
"Better."
He nodded after the response and turned to head upstairs when Asia spoke up again.
"Kelvin."
He stopped.
Slowly turning halfway toward her.
"My office."
His expression barely changed.
"What about it?"
Asia placed her coffee cup down.
"The executive manager position."
Understanding flashed briefly across his face.
Before he could answer, another voice suddenly echoed through the house.
"Kelvin!"
The front door opened again.
Jane walked inside carrying a handbag and wearing a bright smile.
"I left my charger last night in your car ag…”.
She stopped dramatically.
"Oh."
Her eyes widened.
"Asia!"
The surprise looked almost rehearsed.Jane hurried forward immediately.
"Oh my God, you're home already. Nobody told me."
Asia simply looked at her.
"I've been so worried about you."
“Of course you were…” Asia sarcastically said to her.
Jane brushed a strand of hair behind her ear before laughing lightly.
"Honestly, I've been so busy lately that I barely know what day it is anymore."
Jane continued smiling.
"The executive manager position has been keeping me buried in work."
There it was.
The answer she had already known before it was spoken aloud.
For a few seconds, silence filled the room.Asia slowly shifted her gaze from Jane to Kelvin.
Not because she needed confirmation.
Because she wanted to hear it from him.Kelvin released a quiet breath.
"You just got out of the hospital, Asia."
"You need time to recover."
Asia said nothing.
"The company can't stop operating while you're unavailable," he continued. "Jane has more experience handling executive responsibilities. She can manage things until you're fully recovered."
Jane lowered her eyes modestly, though she looked far too pleased with herself.
Kelvin didn't seem to notice.
"Honestly, I think this arrangement is best for everyone."
Asia looked at him for several seconds.
Then she slowly nodded once.
"I see."
Jane seemed almost disappointed by the lack of reaction.
"Oh, Asia, don't misunderstand…Kelvin’s was only helping the company.”
But Asia was already standing.she didn't wait for Jane to finish.
She picked up her coffee cup, turned around, and headed toward the staircase.Not once did she look back.
The sound of her footsteps gradually disappeared as she climbed to the second floor.
For several seconds,nobody spoke.
Jane glanced toward the staircase before turning back to Kelvin with a small frown.
"She's upset."
Kelvin's gaze lingered in the direction Asia had disappeared.Something about that reaction felt... strange.
It wasn't like her.For a brief moment, he considered following her upstairs.
The thought disappeared almost immediately.
Kelvin exhaled softly and loosened his tie.
"Give her some time," he said.
Jane's lips curved slightly.
"You think she'll be okay?"
"She will."
His answer came without hesitation.
- Writer
