It was 56th day soon enough when I got a call from my editor early in the morning. I was surprised when he suddenly gave me two or three calls when I was still asleep.
When Lewis saw me staring at my phone with a frown on my forehead, he calmly said while sorting out clothes in the cupboard, “He called many times.”
“It’s only 6 a. m.,” I complained, “And why did he call so late at night?”
Lewis saw my childish expression and suddenly I felt as if I saw a flash of amusement in his eyes before he quickly reverted his cold look. “You should call him back.”
I pursed my lips and nodded. I knew I should, but these days, I had been ignoring him like a plague. He would only text me if necessary and never call me unless it was an emergency. Our meeting time even got reduced since we only met twice the previous week. The only reason we met was either for a cup of coffee while discussing the outlines, or Vampire asking me out on a date.
Recently, he got so busy promoting the work that he rarely answered the phone calls, insisting on texting all the time.
I still remembered what had happened two days ago when I called him about something. To be honest, there was another reason why I had called him aside from the work. I missed hearing his voice. So why shouldn’t I just talk to him at this time?
But who would have thought that I would be rejected to brutally? He not only didn’t pick up my call, but even switched off his phone for the next ten hours! I continued to stare at my phone in disbelief.
Even my husband carried a trace of worried look on his face when he saw me staring at my phone like that. Then he would suddenly say, “Did Vampire say something to you?”
There was an icy touch in his voice which made it clear that if my editor had hurt me somehow, Lewis would kill that person.
I stiffened and shook my head before forcing a smile on my lips. “He’s not picking up my call. Don’t worry. It’s not that urgent.”
Back then, he only nodded and went back in to kitchen before I could sigh in relief. And then I received Vampire’s text saying that he would only message me for a few days because the workload on his shoulders had increased.
I could only accept this and continue writing with a heavy heart. Although I wanted to think that Vampire was just lying, when I saw his constant efforts of promoting my novel, I could only swallow my resentment and pray that Vampire would be free again.
And this morning when I saw so many missed calls and even text messages, I couldn’t help but feel my heart thudding inside my chest.
He finally got time to call me!
A sudden burst of excitement flushed in my heart at that as I called the number.
He picked up the phone. “Elise….”
I heard a trace of relief in his voice as he spoke my name.
It sounded like a song from heaven that I could never get enough of hearing him calling my name.
My heart fluttered like crazy as I tried to control my voice. “What’s up? You finally got time to call me?”
“I’m sorry for not picking up your calls. I’ve been so busy lately…” Vampire said in a low voice.
I pursed my lips and said, “That’s fine. I was busy too.”
Vampire went silent. I could only hear his soothing breathing sound that echoed in my ears, making me feel calm. Just then, he opened his mouth. “Your book is doing great. I posted the link on several promotional social media websites.”
I nodded subconsciously before realizing that I wasn’t talking to him face-to-face. So I facepalmed myself and said, “I know. I saw your posts.”
“Then you must know we need to hold campaigns. For that, you need to have stockpile of at least next thirty Chapters.”
I pressed my lips in a thin line and sighed. “Do I really have to?”
Vampire’s voice held a touch of disappointment this time. “Aren’t you writing everyday? I told you earlier! We need to be professionals!”
It wasn’t like I wasn’t writing everyday, but I was also helping my husband with household work when he would be out. So my writing time reduced greatly, but could I blame Vampire for not finishing stockpiling those Chapters? I was sure that the campaign he was talking about was none other than the mass release!
I was about to say something when I suddenly heard Vampire asking, “Do you have time today?”
I was so surprised that I could only gape at the phone for a while.
There was a short silence before I finally managed to say, “Ah… okay. But I haven’t made any plans for today.”
I heard him asking, “That’s great. What do you say we go on a date today?”
My heart jumped in my throat as I heard him saying that. I had been waiting for this day for two days. But now when he suddenly said those words, I could only stare at the wall before me in a daze.
It had been a few days ever since I had started trying to make things better between me and my husband. And now when I was forcing myself to move on, Vampire’s words started to pull me back in another direction.
I felt like two small versions of me were sitting on my shoulders at this time. One dressed like an angel while another was a devil. The latter was constantly whispering words of giving up and running in Vampire’s embrace to me. To be honest, I was really tempted to do that, but the logical angel on my right shoulder seemed to pull me back in another direction where I thought about this rationally.
Clearly, me and Vampire couldn’t be in a relationship, and now when I had decided to become a good wife despite what I feel like in my heart, I couldn’t go on and give my editor signs that I wanted a relationship with him.
So I opened my mouth and said softly with a touch of sadness in my voice, “I don’t think we should, Vampire.”
I heard him sigh and then he said, “I knew you would say something like that, but this is urgent. Trust me.”
I raised my brows. This wasn’t just about a date anymore then?
As if he predicted my thoughts, he added. “It’s about your novel.”
I could only nod my head and say, “All right.”
“Meet me at the bar at 9. I will tell you about everything then.”
I nodded and said, “Okay. I will see you later.”
I hung up the phone, and I felt a sense of loss when I realized that I would no longer hear his voice.