Tonight, Andrew lay restless once again. Holding his pipe, he drew a deep inhale, then reclined, releasing a silver cloud into the tranquil ambiance. Thoughts of bygone days and words once spoken by Joy years ago haunted him.
Before turmoil stirred their lives, Joy had once mentioned her ability to foresee one’s destiny by reading their palm lines. Andrew had scoffed at such an absurdity. Yet, events had unfurled just as she prophesied: he had hurt a good-hearted girl, and by the time he sought redemption, she had moved on, having honestly forgotten him.
He scolded himself for such foolishness. Despite always being competitive in life’s games, he lost the most vital part of his existence. The love Mary once harbored for him had long since perished. Their interactions were purely professional; even if he cared, she seemed indifferent.
Since discovering Mary’s true identity, remorse and self-loathing consumed him. Each day he saw her, his heart felt like it was being carved into a hundred pieces, a pain more tormenting than sheer hatred.
Mary was within his reach, yet her heart bore deep scars he had inflicted. On one side, the woman he loved; on the other, his closest friend. Yet, he had mercilessly hurt both.
Alone with his agony and loneliness, he might have seemed strong, but internal torment still held him captive. He yearned to embrace his beloved, but how could he ever hope for her to open her heart to him again? That was a question without an answer.
The invisible cloak of night enveloped him. He didn’t resist but remained immobile, drowning in that silence, much like a piano key never struck to produce sound.
By dawn, he was at the office early, hastily ordering two flight tickets for an overseas business trip. The secretary found this odd since he’d never acted impulsively; everything always followed a predefined plan. But she dared not question him; he was the boss.
Upon her arrival, Mary was informed she’d join Andrew on the imminent overseas trip, with their flight departing in two hours. She was taken aback; she hadn’t planned on going anywhere, especially since she had dinner plans with Bryan later. Annoyed, she stormed into his office without knocking.
“Why the urgent business trip? Everything should be systematic and planned. I wasn’t given prior notice, and you didn’t even ask if I wanted to come. How do you regard me?”
Andrew stood, unflustered, hands in his pockets, and coldly replied, “This is business, and I am your boss. You don’t have a choice.”
Mary’s anger intensified, her voice rising with indignation.
“Could you speak more sensibly? You may be the boss, but that doesn’t mean you get whatever you want.”
He smirked, almost mockingly, at Mary.
“Everything I’ve told you is my reason,” he declared.
“You…”
Swiftly, he placed his hand over Mary’s mouth, silencing her with a teasing grin.
“The business trip this time involves the project Bryan and you oversee. Don’t you want to do something to help him and, in doing so, help yourself?”
Mary grew more perplexed. She couldn’t recall when he started to seem genuinely concerned for them. Every word from him made it hard for her to discern the truth.
Hesitatingly, she thought that if she accompanied him, she could watch his every move. If not for the project, being with him might offer some benefits.
But she hid her thoughts, her face cold. “I’ll trust you this once, but if I find ulterior motives, I won’t let you off the hook.”
Andrew’s face lit up with a smile, seemingly forgetting to mask his emotions before this woman.
Back in her apartment, Mary hastily packed a suitcase. She didn’t need much since the trip lasted only three days and two nights. Anything she lacked, she would buy at her destination.
Her primary concern was Bryan. How would he feel knowing she was going abroad with Andrew? But if she told him beforehand, he’d surely object.
Holding her phone, she hesitated, wanting to call but then deciding against it. She started typing a message, then deleted it. Closing her eyes, she whispered, believing Bryan would eventually understand and empathize with her.
Glancing at the wall clock, she realized she was running late. Hurrying, she pulled her suitcase and locked her apartment, leaving its space just as vacant as it had been.
Andrew had been waiting for a while at the airport, his mood contrasting Mary’s. Noticing her approach, he motioned for her to sit beside him, but she declined.
“I want to look outside. I love watching things behind the glass pane; I can see everyone, but they can’t see me.”
She then gracefully moved past him to the corridor and stared outside, unnoticed by those she observed.
Andrew approached, murmuring gently, “I remember when we had conversations in places like this, back when…”
Mary cut him off sharply. “Don’t remind me of the past. It holds no meaning now. I’m not the person I once was, and neither are you. To me, those times are foolish memories, best forgotten.”
Seeing her staunch demeanor, he realized any further words would be fruitless. Their relationship was strictly professional now, devoid of the closeness they once had.
Andrew looked in the direction Mary was gazing. Everything seemed ordinary, except that they had changed. He didn’t blame her for her indifference; he blamed himself for being so blind that he lost what mattered most.
The terminal was bustling with people, but he felt an overwhelming emptiness inside, unable to find understanding or sympathy from anyone.