“Did you catch the news? Why’d you keep me in the dark about something so major?” Justin asked.
Flora was caught off guard and struggled to come up with a response.
It seemed bravery was fleeting; once the prime moment slipped away, it was replaced by fear. “I didn’t want to stress you out.”
“But it’s way worse when you’re all secretive like this.” Justin’s voice had a hint of frustration but also an unwillingness to let go. “Don’t sweat it, get some shut-eye, and don’t let this bug you.”
Flora’s smile grew, the comforting warmth causing her heart to fill with layers of coziness. At least she wouldn’t have to go it alone anymore.
“You want to head out now?” Justin asked again.
“It’s getting late, let’s rain check.” Flora climbed the stairs, her words like happy tunes. “Mom says you should swing by for dinner sometime.”
“Sweet, it’s been ages since I had your mom’s killer sweet and sour pork ribs.”
Flora gently pushed the door open, locked it behind her, and stepped into her room. Flipping on the light, the room was wrapped in serenity. “Deal. Mom’s gonna be stoked to see you.”
“Sure thing,” Justin chuckled. “Catch some Z’s, I got to handle a few things here.”
“Gotcha.” Flora nodded and was about to end the call.
“Flora,” Justin suddenly added, “Did you leave something out again?”
Flora sat up, thought hard, and answered, “I don’t think so.”
“Why’d you changed your habits after just a year apart?” Justin’s tone playfully hinted at disappointment.
Flora eyes crinkled, happiness brimming. She blew a kiss into the phone, then asking, “Is that better?”
“Flora, have you picked up a bashful streak?” Justin’s mention of her name was more affectionate and tender than anyone else’s.
Flora lay down on her bed, her face turning red, “For real, I’m hanging up now.”
“Alright.”
Justin hung up, and just as Flora was about to speak, she heard a beep on the other end. She glanced at the dead screen, not giving it much thought, and set her phone aside.
Down in the old apartment building’s parking lot, a sleek black sports car was tucked away in a hidden spot.
Justin peered through the car window towards the illuminated room above. He nonchalantly tossed his phone onto the passenger seat, fired up the engine, and sped off.
The next day, Flora clocked in as usual.
Some coworkers jeered and taunted her, claiming she wrecked Wonda’s proposal, while others feigned sympathy, even asking if she’d gotten a court summons.
Julie dispersed the gawking crowd and kindly brought breakfast to Flora’s desk. “I saw you hustling; you must be starving.”
“Thanks.”
“If you need anything, give me a shout,” Julie whispered. “Ignore these gossip hounds. They’re just green with envy.”
Flora couldn’t help but grin. Julie motioned for her not to laugh out loud and said, “By the way, that creepy old dude didn’t really do anything to you, did he?”
“Nope, otherwise he wouldn’t dare threaten to sue me.”
“Ugh, my worst nightmare is happening. Flora, what’s your game plan?” Julie couldn’t help but fret, considering the company’s current stance seemed hands-off.
“If he wants to sue, let him,” Flora stashed her folder in the drawer, “If he’s not scared of a scandal, why should I be?”
“That’s not the point,” Julie said, resting her chin on one hand. “Unless you’ve got a heavy hitter backing you, this is a sticky situation. Think about it, Lewis is a big-shot contractor, with personal connections to the government. Anyone who ticks him off is in for a world of hurt…”
Flora’s organizing paused, realizing she’d overlooked this angle. If Justin gets tangled in this mess, there will undoubtedly be trouble.
Seeing her worried face, Julie tugged at her sleeve and said, “How about this: after work, I’ll go with you to the hospital. On one hand, you can apologize to Lewis, and on the other hand, we can get a read on his intentions.”
“No way,” Flora said decisively. The thought of Lewis revolting presence made Flora’s heart clench.
“It’s the best option, Flora. What’ll your family do if you actually get thrown in the slammer?”
Flora’s good mood soured and weighed heavy. Although repulsed, Flora reluctantly headed to the hospital with Julie after work.
After asking with a nurse, the two took the elevator to the fifth floor, with Julie leading the way and peeking into a room on the left.
“Who are you looking for?” A stylish woman in her forties stood behind them.
Julie smile, asking,”Um, we were wondering, is the person in this room still here? Has he been discharged?”
Hearing this, the woman hurriedly stepped past them, pushed open the slightly cracked door, and Flora glimpsed inside, confirming it was indeed empty.
“Doctor, doctor—” At that moment, the woman desperately grabbed a passing doctor, “Where’s my husband? Why is he gone?”
“Ma’am, please stay calm…”
The woman suddenly lost control of herself and screamed, “Where is he? He must stay at this place! Where did you take him?”
The scene was hectic, and several beefy men hurried over from nearby. Seeing this, Flora quickly grabbed Julie’s hand and left discreetly.
Once in the elevator, Flora patted her chest lightly, gasping, “Good thing we bolted. Those guys must be bodyguards…”
Before she could say more, the elevator stopped on the fourth floor. “Make some room, please,” someone yelled.
Amid the ruckus, several nurses frantically pushed a patient’s bed into the elevator. The white sheet covered the patient’s body, soaked in blood. Julie was so freaked out that her legs went weak, and she clung to Flora’s arm.
The strong smell of blood was nauseating, and large bloodstains kept seeping through the sheet.
The elevator descended quickly, with the nurses anxiously watching the descending numbers. The patient’s head was near Flora and Julie’s knees. Flora inadvertently looked away but caught sight of a face marred by injuries.
Despite this, she recognized the man as Lewis.
Julie kept her eyes shut, not daring to look. Flora pretended not to know him and looked away. But her heart raced, almost pounding out of her chest.
Lewis was barely breathing, and after a few coughs, he began to vomit blood.
The elevator doors opened with a ding, and the nurses swiftly pulled out the patient’s bed, pushing it towards the emergency room.
“Talk about bad luck,” Julie said weakly, her entire body clinging to Flora’s arm, “I’m not scared of anything except the sight of blood.”
“Flora?” Seeing her not responding, Julie thought she had been frightened too.
Shaking her arm forcefully, Flora snapped back to reality, “Let’s head home.”
“Right, this place isn’t for us.”
As they left the hospital, Julie’s home was nearby. Flora initially wanted to invite her to dinner, but after witnessing the gory scene, no one had the appetite. They decided to go their separate ways.
The more Flora thought about it, the more she felt something was off. As she reached the bus stop, her phone rang.
“Flora, where are you?”
“Justin, I’m at the entrance of the city hospital.”
The man seemed to pause for a moment, “What are you doing there?” His tone was slightly displeased.
Flora knew that if she mentioned going to ask for Lewis’s forgiveness, Justin would be angry, so she said, “No big deal. A coworker wasn’t feeling well, so I brought her here to get checked.”
“Alright, stay put. I’ll pick you up in ten minutes.”
Flora had questions for him, “Okay.”
Justin was always on time. As Flora hopped into the car, he handed her a fluffy gray kangaroo from the back seat, “I owe you this, a birthday gift.”
It was a promise he hadn’t had time to fulfill. Flora cradled the gift affectionately, “You still remember?”
He playfully patted her head, “You kidding? Of course, I remember what I said.”
As night fell, Justin took her to Manchette Hotel, where they had a private dining room. After ordering dishes, he asked the waiter to wait outside, not wanting anyone to disturb their time together.
“Justin.” Flora eyed the table full of dishes but had no appetite. “I saw Lewis at the city hospital today.”
Justin sat on the couch next to her, sipping high-quality red wine, “He’s not dead yet?”
A chill ran down Flora’s spine, and she quickly grabbed Justin’s wrist, “Justin, did you really do that?”
Looking at her anxious face, Justin hooked up the corner of his sensual lips, saying, “Doesn’t a guy like that deserve to die?”
