Chapter 14 The Meeting
I admitted that it felt good to be cared for.
During those three days when Terrell didn’t show up around
me, I actually found it a bit hard to get used to.
I heard he had been busy with a research project. He had to
handle a lot of work.
So, he must have squeezed out time just to come see me.
But with no ties between us, I couldn’t afford to accept that kind
of kindness.
Terrell stiffened. His mouth opened slightly, and after a long
pause, he finally gritted out a sentence
“If you suddenly drop dead in my hospital, don’t you think that
has something to do with me?”
It had only been a few days,
I let out a heavy sigh and slowly walked forward.
“Terrell, I’m not as fragile as you think, and I don’t need anyone’s
protection.”
Chapter 14 The Meeting
If it hadn’t been for an unexpected illness, I could have lived just
fine on my own for many more years.
“I appreciate your kindness, but I’d prefer it if you didn’t
interfere in my life. Okay?”
I stopped and stared into his dark eyes, my gaze firm.
It was my request.
Terrell stayed silent.
After a while, he handed my phone back to me and walked
away without looking back.
Pushing away the only person who cared about me… did make
me feel a little down.
When I checked my phone, there was nothing except spam ads
for loans.
I gave a bitter laugh.
Life really sucked sometimes.
I grabbed a bun at the cafeteria and ate while walking. By the
time I got to the emergency room, I had just finished.
I was about to take over my shift when a colleague told me it
Chapter 14 The Meeting
wasn’t my work time anymore.
He told me to check the group chat.
Scrolling through the messages, I found out that my shift had
been changed to 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day.
It was off–duty hours now.
I stared at the screen, speechless.
Since Terrell couldn’t persuade me, he’d gone ahead and
changed my shift without even discussing it.
My paycheck was over 150 dollars less.
I knew he meant well, but shouldn’t he have at least asked me
before he made the decision?
What right did he have to make decisions for me?
Fuming, I stormed into Terrell’s office without knocking on the
door.
I was met with a stranger, who stared at me in shock.
They were probably in the middle of a project discussion, and I’d
just barged in halfway.
Chapter 14 The Meeting
Snapping back to my senses, I muttered an apology and quickly
shut the door.
Outside, I covered my face.
That was seriously embarrassing.
I sent Terrell a message asking to meet that evening.
I had to make things clear once and for all.
Since I came back to the country, I had barely spoken with
Terrell.
The last message above in our WhatsApp thread was a “Happy
New Year.”
Before that, it was another message on Christmas.
In the past three years, we’d hardly had any interaction that
those messages.
So I never thought Terrell might have feelings for me.
But the way he had been acting lately clearly went beyond
what I thought we were.
It didn’t take long for Terrell to reply.
Chapter 14 The Meeting
“No time.”
Normally, I’d believe someone like him must have a packed
schedule.
But this time, I couldn’t help but feel he was just avoiding me.
And once the schedule was changed, unless he agreed, there
was no way to switch it back.
With someone as headstrong as Terrell, the new shift was
probably final. Even if I kicked up a fuss, it wouldn’t change
anything.
After clocking out at six, there was still plenty of time to do
other things.
I wandered the area with a stern face.
It was summer break, and lots of diners were hiring.
Usually, the work went on until around 2 a.m., just like my old
schedule.
If I went find a side job outside, Terrell couldn’t possibly control that too, right?
