A Lover
847 Words
Ah, I started wondering the moment I dropped the call.
I knew.
I knew the instant I told the chairwoman that I had a daughter, everything would change. A woman like her did not simply listen and forget. She would investigate. She would dig. She would want to know everything. And once someone like her started digging, secrets never stayed buried for long.
But I had no other choice.
My daughter’s life was in danger.
No job, no secret, no pride mattered more than that.
I leaned back against the cold hospital wall, closing my eyes briefly as the weight of everything crashed down on me. The loan sharks we owed money to. The endless phone calls I had ignored. The threats disguised as warnings. I had not paid anyone. I had nothing left to give.
I felt trapped.
Then the doctor returned.
His expression was serious, professional, emotionless in a way that made my chest tighten.
“We will begin the surgery immediately,” he said.
The words echoed in my head.
Immediately.
I nodded quickly, unable to speak.
Janet reached for my hand, gripping it tightly. Her palms were cold and sweaty, just like mine.
“It will be okay,” she whispered, though her eyes were filled with fear.
I squeezed her hand back.
“It has to be,” I replied softly.
Minutes passed like hours.
Then I took a deep breath and made the decision that had been forming in my mind.
“Janet,” I said quietly, turning to her.
She looked at me, her eyes red from crying.
“I have to go,” I told her.
Her eyes widened. “Go? Where are you going?”
“I need to return,” I said. “At least for now.”
Her grip tightened on my hand. “Anna, stay. What if something happens?”
I swallowed hard.
“I cannot,” I replied. “They didn't give me permission to leave earlier. If I disappear completely, I might lose my job.”
Her lips trembled. “Does that matter right now?”
“Yes,” I said firmly, even though my heart was breaking. “It matters. Because without that job, we have nothing.”
She looked at me for a long moment, then nodded slowly.
“Go,” she said quietly. “I will stay here. I will call you if anything changes.”
“I will come back immediately,” I promised.
Before leaving, I took one last look down the hallway that led to Jasmine’s room.
Be strong, my baby.
I stepped outside, the night air cool against my skin.
I headed straight to the Harrison estate.
It was already late, and I knew he would have returned from work by now.
The mansion lights glowed brightly in the distance, beautiful and intimidating all at once. A world so far removed from mine that sometimes it felt unreal.
As I entered, voices reached my ears.
Laughter.
I paused.
When I stepped into the sitting area, I saw them.
Zane.
His brother.
And that same lady.
The rumored fiancée.
She was seated close to him, smiling, laughing softly, her body angled toward him in a way that spoke of familiarity and comfort. They looked… happy.
For a brief second, something strange stirred inside me.
I pushed it away immediately.
This was none of my business.
When Caleb saw me, his face lit up.
“Anna,” he called out cheerfully. “Come and join us.”
I shook my head politely. “No, thank you.”
I turned to leave.
That was when Zane’s voice stopped me.
“Where did you go today?”
I froze.
I turned back slowly.
“I apologize,” I said calmly. “I had something very important to attend to.”
His eyes narrowed.
“What is more important than your job?” he asked coldly.
I met his gaze without flinching.
“What I went through today was very important,” I replied.
His jaw tightened.
“So your lover is more important than your job,” he said sharply.
I stared at him.
For a second, I wondered if he was serious or simply insane.
“Lover?” I repeated, incredulous.
But he did not wait for me to say anything else.
“Leave,” he said dismissively.
The word cut deep.
I said nothing.
I turned and walked away, my back straight, my head held high.
As I climbed the stairs, I felt her gaze on me.
The lady.
Her eyes burned with something ugly.
I did not care.
I reached my room and closed the door behind me, finally allowing myself to breathe.
I leaned against the door, closing my eyes.
Today had gone perfectly.
At least in the way that mattered most.
The surgery had begun.
Tomorrow morning, I would take another leave and go back to the hospital.
But this time, I would inform Zane properly.
No matter how annoying he was.
No matter how much he hated listening.
Because my daughter came first.
Always.
- Writer
