Chapter 4

The Present Day.

~~~

Grace blinked.

The memories faded, and the O.S. Publishing office balcony came back into focus. For a moment, she remained still, staring at the sky above her.

No matter how many years passed, the memories never changed.

They still hurt.

Slowly, Grace raised a hand and wiped the tears from her face.

She sighed. “Yeah, that’s the story of my life. Crazy, right?”

She had decided to work in a publishing firm to gain the experience she needed before taking over her father's company one day. That was why she applied to one of the biggest publishing firms in New York City, only to end up in her current miserable position.

Focused on becoming someone worthy of inheriting her father's empire, she never made time for fun, parties, or dating.

Despite her trauma, she sometimes wondered if there was a man out there for her. Someone who could give her the kind of love her parents once had.

The door suddenly opened.

“Oh! There you are,” Edna said, appearing out of nowhere.

“Jesus, Edna,” Grace said, startled. “Do you have to sneak up on me like that? I almost had a heart attack.”

“Really? That's new,” Edna replied casually. “I made enough noise with the door.”

“What? What did you say?”

“Nothing that should bother you?”

“Seriously, Edna, what do you want?”

“Not me. The boss is calling for the new recruits, and that includes you,” Edna informed her before turning on her heels.

That was strange.

Mr. Berk never called meetings with recruits.

“Did he say why?” Grace asked as she followed after her.

“It is not my job to ask questions, Grace.” Edna turned and gave her a sideways look before walking into the office.

As annoying as she sounded, she was right.

“Damn… I thought I told her to stop addressing me by my first name?” Grace muttered to herself as she walked into the office and toward Mr. Berk’s office.

Just as Edna had said, when she got there, all the new recruits had gathered around Mr. Berk. There were five of them, and from him, they found out there would be a new boss at the headquarters.

Just as Grace wondered how that information would affect her, Mr. Berk added, “The new recruits in all the branches, not just here, are required to report at the headquarters starting next Monday, which is three days from now, and…”

“Wait, sir!” Grace interrupted him, confused, since she had not been listening to half of the announcement.

“What does that mean? I do not understand. Are we being fired or something?”

If she had to choose between being fired or keeping the job. Honestly, she preferred the latter.

Of course, no one needed to know that thought.

Now, Mr. Berk was staring at her with a deep frown.

“What! Did I say something wrong?” she asked, glancing at the others.

Mr. Berk sighed in frustration. No doubt he was going to lecture her.

“What are you talking about, Miss Bush? I said report at the headquarters, not fired. Were you even listening, Grace?”

“Oh! Yes, of course, sir.”

Nope. She had not been listening.

But he said “resume.” Wait… does that mean starting Monday she would actually be working at the headquarters?

Her mind drifted again.

Oh my God… no way.

“GRACE!” Mr. Berk yelled.

“Fuck—what? I mean, sir.”

“Did you hear what I just said?” he asked sharply.

“What… you said?” Grace looked around at the other staff, who were now laughing quietly at her. “Nope, sir. I did not,” she admitted.

“Seriously, Grace.” Mr. Berk sighed. “Is this going to be a problem? Because if it is, your name does not need to be on this list of recruits going to New York.”

He waved a sheet of paper slightly in the air.

Grace stayed calm, but her thoughts were loud.

This son of a bitch.

“Of course not, sir,” she said quickly, forcing a smile. “I was just thinking.”

Inside, she felt a rush of relief.

“You do not think when I am talking, Grace. You listen,” Mr. Berk said, still glaring at her. “You are going to a new environment. I hope none of your… habits will be an issue.”

This man…

“Of course not, sir,” she repeated, smiling again, a little tighter this time.

Mr. Berk continued, “As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted…”

His eyes flicked at her once before he went on.

“For some reason, the new boss is looking for fresh talent. Instead of re-employing only experienced staff, he wants to try out new recruits from different branches. So if you are lucky, you will be retained. If not, you will be let go.”

The room went a little quieter.

“You only have four days. Go put your things in order and inform whoever you need to inform. We leave early Sunday morning, 7:30 a.m. If you are retained, accommodation will not be a problem.”

He closed the folder slightly.

“We meet here on Saturday evening, or Sunday morning if you are running late. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” they chorused.

“Good. Now go.”

Mr. Berk turned and went back into his office.

“YES, FINALLY!” Grace shrieked in excitement while others murmured among themselves.

The first person she called to share the good news was Mrs. Hail. She was the only person Grace could truly say cared for her and felt like family at this point.

The phone rang once before she picked up.

“Hello, Grace?”

“Hello, Mrs. Hail. You will not believe what just happened.”

“Well, with the excitement in your voice, I can tell it is something good.”

“Hell yeah… fuck, it is.” Grace blurted out.

“Grace! Language, please,” Mrs. Hail said with a heavy sigh. “You are not a child anymore, and I cannot keep correcting you. I still cannot believe how much you have changed. What happened to that sweet, humble girl I used to know?”

“Yeah… I wonder,” Grace replied dryly.

“So, the good news?”

“Oh yes.”

Grace went on to tell her about the transfer, and Mrs. Hail was happy for her.

Honestly, that was what Grace liked about her. She always responded with genuine care.

Mrs. Hail asked if Grace planned to tell her uncles about the news, but Grace said no.

She did not want to tell them. Talking to them would only reopen old wounds she was trying to close, and she knew they would only try again to push her into taking over her father’s business.

If they found out she was leaving the country, she doubted they would take it well. They might even try something to stop her.

Since she did not plan on coming back soon unless she was retained, she wanted to give herself a little space to breathe before returning.

With that in mind, she asked her to help secure accommodation and prepare some documents just in case she was not retained in the program.

That way, she would not run into problems.

Thankfully, Mrs. Hail agreed.

This was another step toward her dream. She needed to stay strong for her late father…and mother, who was still in a coma.

It had been years now, and there was still no sign of her waking up, even though she was still receiving treatment.

Lately, Grace had stopped visiting the hospital. Not because she was tired, but because she could not bear to see her once cheerful, lively mother lying there almost lifeless.

She sighed and slumped onto her bed.

“Let us think good thoughts, Grace… positive things,” she murmured into the night, before closing her eyes and trying to sleep.

But sleep never came easily… not for Grace.