CHAPTER 8
1360 Words
CHAPTER 8
Andrew slept.
Not perfectly.
But better.
And that alone irritated him.
Because it meant Nancy was right.
Again.
Morning came quietly.
For once, he woke before the sun fully settled into the room. The light was softer, less intrusive, stretching slowly across the glass walls instead of attacking them.
Andrew stayed in bed for a moment.
Not thinking about work.
Not thinking about numbers.
Just… there.
It didn’t last long.
Nancy was already awake.
Of course she was.
He found her in the kitchen, sitting on the counter this time, not cooking, just scrolling through her phone with a cup of tea in her hand.
She looked up as he walked in.
Paused.
“You look better.”
Andrew reached for a glass. “Careful. That almost sounded like concern.”
“It was observation.”
“Unfortunate.”
Nancy smiled slightly. “Did you sleep?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“That doesn’t mean you were right.”
“It does.”
“It doesn’t.”
“It does.”
Andrew exhaled, already tired of the loop. “You’re insufferable.”
“And yet, I’m still here.”
He glanced at her.
“…I’ve noticed.”
A small pause settled between them.
Not awkward.
Nancy hopped off the counter. “Eat first. Then meds.”
Andrew didn’t argue.
That was becoming a pattern too.
By mid-morning, the penthouse felt almost normal.
Almost.
Andrew had his laptop open, going through reports, not as intensely as before, but enough to keep himself occupied.
Nancy moved around the space easily now, occasionally glancing at him, occasionally pretending not to.
At some point,
“You’re doing it again,” she said.
Andrew didn’t look up. “Doing what?”
“Working instead of resting.”
“I am resting.”
“You’re reading financial projections.”
“That’s relaxing.”
“No, it’s not.”
“It is for me.”
Nancy walked over, leaned slightly to look at the screen.
“Is that the same file from yesterday?”
Andrew paused.
“…No.”
She raised a brow.
He sighed. “Yes.”
“Thought so.”
Nancy reached out and closed the laptop.
Andrew stared at it.
Then at her.
“…That was unnecessary.”
“It was needed.”
“I was in the middle of something.”
“You were in the middle of overworking.”
Andrew leaned back in his chair, studying her. “You’re getting bold.”
“I’ve always been bold. You’re just noticing.”
“That’s concerning.”
Nancy smiled. “You’ll survive.”
Silence
Then,
The doorbell rang.
Andrew frowned immediately.
Nancy glanced toward the door. “Expecting someone?”
“No.”
The bell rang again.
This time, shorter.
Impatient.
Andrew stood, already irritated. “Stay here.”
Nancy didn’t respond.
Which meant she would absolutely not stay there.
When Andrew opened the door, he didn’t look surprised this time.
Just… tired.
“Victoria.”
She stood there again, perfectly composed, perfectly dressed, like yesterday hadn’t happened.
But her eyes gave her away.
They lingered on him longer this time.
Assessing.
Worried.
“You didn’t answer my calls,” she said.
“I was busy.”
“You’re always busy.”
“That’s usually how this works.”
Victoria exhaled slowly. “Can I come in?”
Andrew hesitated.
Just briefly.
Then stepped aside.
Nancy watched from the living area as Victoria walked in, her presence immediately shifting the atmosphere again.
Controlled tension.
Familiar and uncomfortable at the same time.
Victoria’s gaze landed on Nancy.
“You’re still here.”
Nancy smiled politely. “Still am.”
Victoria nodded once, then turned back to Andrew. “We need to talk.”
“We talked yesterday.”
“No,” she said. “We avoided things yesterday.”
Andrew’s expression hardened slightly. “I’m not in the mood for this.”
“That’s not your decision.”
Nancy quietly moved toward the kitchen.
Not leaving.
Just… giving space.
But still listening.
Victoria didn’t sit.
Neither did Andrew.
They stood across from each other like two people who didn’t know how to be anything else.
“I spoke to someone this morning,” Victoria said.
Andrew didn’t react. “You speak to many people.”
“This one matters.”
“Daniel Reeves.”
That got his attention.
Andrew’s eyes sharpened. “What about him?”
Victoria crossed her arms. “He’s talking.”
“I’m aware.”
“He thinks you’re stepping down.”
“He’s wrong.”
“Is he?”
The question hung there. Heavy.
Andrew’s jaw tightened. “I’m still running my company.”
“For how long?”
Nancy stilled slightly in the kitchen.
Andrew didn’t answer immediately.
Victoria stepped closer. “You’re sick, Andrew.”
“I’m aware.”
“You’re getting worse.”
“I’m aware.”
“Then start acting like it.”
That did it.
Andrew’s voice dropped, colder now. “I don’t take instructions from you.”
Victoria didn’t flinch. “No, you just ignore everyone until it’s too late.”
Silence.
Sharp.
Familiar.
Nancy glanced toward them, tension tightening in her chest.
This wasn’t just argument.
This was history repeating itself.
“Why are you here?” Andrew asked finally.
Victoria’s expression shifted.
Not softer.
But… more honest.
“I’m here because you’re my brother,” she said.
Andrew’s gaze didn’t waver. “That hasn’t mattered in a long time.”
“It does now.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re dying.”
The word landed harder than anything else.
Even Nancy felt it.
Andrew didn’t react outwardly.
But something in his posture stilled completely.
Victoria held his gaze. “And whether you like it or not, I’m not staying away this time.”
A long pause followed.
“Do whatever you want,” Andrew said quietly. “You always do.”
Victoria exhaled, like she wanted to say more, but didn’t.
Not yet.
Before she could speak again, Andrew’s phone rang.
He glanced at it.
Lydia.
He answered immediately. “What is it?”
Nancy watched his expression change.
But there.
“Yes,” Andrew said. “I’ll handle it.”
A pause.
“I said I’ll handle it.”
He hung up.
Victoria frowned. “What now?”
Andrew didn’t look at her. “Reeves called a board meeting.”
“When?”
“Today.”
Nancy stepped forward before she could stop herself. “You’re not going.”
Both Andrew and Victoria looked at her.
Andrew’s expression tightened. “This doesn’t concern you.”
“It does if it affects your health.”
“It’s important.”
“You’re not well enough.”
“I’m going.”
“No.”
The word came from both women.
Simultaneously.
Andrew blinked once.
Then looked between them.
“…This is new,” he said dryly.
Nancy ignored that. “You just left the hospital yesterday.”
Victoria added, “If Reeves is pushing, that means he’s waiting for you to slip.”
Andrew’s gaze sharpened. “Exactly. Which is why I won’t.”
Nancy stepped closer. “Or you walk in there exhausted and prove his point.”
That hit.
He didn’t respond immediately.
Victoria watched him carefully. “Think, Andrew.”
Silence stretched.
Then,
“…I’ll go,” he said.
Nancy opened her mouth,
“But not alone,” he added.
That stopped her.
Andrew glanced at both of them.
“You,” he said to Nancy, “are coming.”
Nancy blinked. “What?”
“And you,” he added, looking at Victoria, “stay out of it.”
Victoria almost laughed. “That’s not happening.”
Andrew exhaled slowly.
For once,
He looked tired of fighting everything at once.
“…Fine,” he muttered.
Later that afternoon, as they prepared to leave,
The dynamic had shifted again.
Not just Andrew and Nancy anymore.
Not just control and resistance.
Now there were more people.
More pressure.
More eyes watching for weakness.
And for the first time..,
Andrew wasn’t just fighting his illness.
He was fighting to hold everything else together before it slipped through his hands.
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