Chapter 3

The contract negotiation went very smoothly.

Howard called me immediately, his voice full of excitement.

"I knew I could count on you! I can't believe you closed such a tough deal!

"Denise, you've been with the company for five years now. I've mentioned several times before that headquarters wants you to transfer over, but you've always turned it down. This time, HQ specifically requested you. That's a promotion!

"Go home and discuss it with your husband. HQ said that as long as you're willing to go, they can sponsor green cards for both of you. This is a real—"

"I don't need to discuss it, Mr. Reelkins. I'm willing to go," I interrupted with a small smile. "As for the immigration documents, I'll submit them to you. Just mine, though. He won't be coming."

Howard paused for a second before letting out a relieved, hearty laugh.

Not long after hanging up, he sent me the flight information for the following day.

"HQ will send someone to pick you up at the airport. Everything will be arranged for you. Congratulations, Denise!"

After sincerely thanking him, I closed the chat. Only then did I notice the messages from Don.

To my surprise, the conversation window that used to be filled with texts from my end was now overflowing with his.

They ranged from angry, demanding texts sent three days ago when I had first left, asking if I was throwing a tantrum, to messages from today asking when I'd be home and saying that he missed me.

This was something that had never happened before. If this had been before, I would've been absolutely delighted. But now, I only felt irritated.

Checking my social media feed, I noticed that Taylor, surprisingly, hadn't posted anything for three whole days.

After a moment's thought, I texted Don back. "I'll be back today. I have something I need to talk to you about."

When I got off the train, I found Don waiting there to pick me up. He gently loaded my luggage into the trunk and opened the front passenger door for me.

"I've been waiting for you at home for the past three days. You weren't replying to my texts or answering my calls. I don't even know where my ties are," he said, a hint of grievance in his voice.

I rubbed my temples and replied flatly, "I didn't notice your texts."

Those were the words he used to throw at me all the time.

He hadn't seen the messages I'd sent him pleading for help when my fever turned into pneumonia.

He hadn't seen the messages asking him to come home during the last trimester of my pregnancy when I couldn't even roll over in bed.

And he hadn't seen the calls begging him to get to the hospital to sign my emergency consent forms after I developed complications from an infection following surgery after my miscarriage.

The atmosphere inside the car froze instantly. Don's fingers tightened around the steering wheel so much that his knuckles turned white.

I opened my mouth to speak again. "We—"

But before I could finish, Taylor's phone call came through. Don's phone was connected to the car's Bluetooth speakers, and her custom ringtone echoed through the cabin nonstop.

That was a privilege I never had.

However, Don didn't answer. In fact, he rejected the call right away. But a second later, the phone rang again.

"Answer it," I said calmly. "What if she wants to redeem another coupon?"

Don's face paled, but he answered anyway.

Taylor's hysterical sobbing came through the line.

"I got into a car accident. Don, what should I do?"

The car came to a screeching stop.

Before Don could even say a word, I unbuckled my seatbelt myself and got out of the car. I took my luggage out of the trunk and stood by the curb to hail a cab.

Only after I flagged down a cab did I realize that Don still hadn't driven off. His face was ghostly pale, and his expression unreadable as he opened his mouth to explain.

"I need to go check on her. She—"

"Yeah, go ahead. I got a cab."

Don froze for a moment before speeding off into the distance.

Not long after I got home, I noticed that Taylor had posted on her feed again. It was a photo of a Band-Aid on her knee, with the caption reading, "I didn't use a coupon this time, but he still came."

The comments section was filled with people hyping them up and congratulating them.

I added a comment of my own.

"Congratulations."