AUTHOR'S POV

EXR Enterprises,
09: 43 am

" Get the conference room ready by ten." Stella said handing Jane a Pendrive.

Jane made her way toward the conference room. The other employees were busy as well. She had to catch up on a lot of things just because of an unwanted day off.

She entered the dark and empty room and didn't turn on the lights as she needed to see if the slide show projector working properly.

She connected the pen drive to a tab and turned around to check the white projection screen behind her.

While setting up things she heard the door clicking sound. She raised her head to see a shadow of a man beside hers coming towards her.

"Hello, Jenny." She felt goosebumps at that voice and her old nickname.

She made a sudden turn only to face her nightmare again. He smiled. The illumination of the projector's lights were highlighting his facial features.

Jane's throat got dried within a second. " M-Max?" Her voice got stuck in it.

"You're probably wondering why I'm here, aren't you?" He asked taking steps forward." Well, I have many memories of this city. Imma stay here for a bit." He added blocking her between his arms and the lectern behind.

"Move away." She managed to speak but he came even closer causing her to push herself onto the lectern.

" Only one question... and you are free." Their gaze collided as she dared to look up straight into his eyes. "Why did you run away that night?" He asked simply.

She broke the eye-contact at the question. " L-Let go of me." She tried to push him by his chest but he caught her wrist.

" Answer me first." He eliminated more space. " What was the reason?" He questioned.

"Max, it's hurting." She wiggled her wrist as it turned white because of his right grip.

" Is it necessary to hold that lady so tightly?" Edwin's voice pulled both of their attention. The lights turned on and Edwin stood at the door with his hands in his pocket. His tongue poked his inner cheek as he glared at Maxwell.

As Maxwell turned to look at Edwin, Jane took a chance and freed herself from him, and moved back.

" Jane, go outside." Edwin said without turning his gaze from Maxwell. " Now." He added in a stern voice.

The intense eye contact of the men was enough to make her understand that this pre-meeting isn't gonna be soft. Yet she rushed outside.

Edwin took steps forward. " It'll be good for you if you stay away from her." He threatened.

Maxwell scoffed. " I know there's nothing between you two."

Edwin chuckled. " Smart enough to understand it. Smart enough to run a worldwide-known company but not educated enough to respect a lady. She isn't into you anymore stop bothering her." Edwin said bitterly.

" You are fuming because she doesn't give two f*cks about you, don't you?" Maxwell confronted.

Edwin sneered. " I just witnessed whom she wasn't giving a shit about."

" One more thing-" Reed entered along with Stella interrupting their conversation. " Oh, you are here already." Reed smiled. " Welcome, Mr. Knight. Please have a seat." Reed shook hands with them.

" Your brother is such a fun person to talk to." Maxwell smirked taking a seat.

Reed sensed the hot air but forced a smile.

" Where's the third one?" Maxwell asked looking around as other employees started to fill the other chairs.

Reed raised his eyebrows.

" Xaden I meant. I never got to meet him." Maxwell added.

" He's out of town." Edwin punctuated.

" So we gonna end this project without him. It is possible...I mean he's one of the shareholders, an owner as well. How will the signature things work will be done without him?" He asked having a point.

" I'm the majority shareholder. I can make the last decision." Reed cleared.

Hazel and Ian make their appearances but as soon as Hazel glanced at Maxwell her smile faded while he simpered at her and said hello with his hand gestures.

She ignored him just like she did last time while Ian shook hands with him." Congratulations on getting engaged." Maxwell said getting a simple nod from Ian in response and nothing from Hazel.

They both have never fought before. In fact, they were on good terms with friendship, and had the same friend circle but after Jane's and his break up Hazel distanced herself from him and never contacted him again. Yet fate brought them face to face.

They all sat and started to discuss the final, the end of the project. Edwin had his eyes on Maxwell almost all the time.

" This work will take a couple of weeks to end. I need an office for it here." Maxwell began.

" We have some spare cabins. Hazel also shares one with Ian." Reed offered even before Edwin could speak. Edwin fisted his palm knowing what his intentions are.

" That'll be great. I'll join the office from now on." He beamed.

" I'm out." Edwin wasn't able to hold himself so he left the meeting room. He went to his cabin where he found Jane working silently.

He had so much to ask yet he didn't want to disturb her already tensed self so he let the silence sit and began to work.

Hours passed, Edwin continued to steal glances but she didn't notice. She looked so lost. He glanced at his mobile screen as it lit up and a notification plopped. He grabbed his mobile to see a cash withdrawal massage from the bank
as it was the triplets' joint account.

It says that one of them has a big amount. He thought it was Xaden at first then he saw Reed's name when he read the further information. Xaden hasn't used a penny from the account since the day he left and Reed using money is never suspicious as he never wastes a penny for useless things so Edwin shrugged it off.

The entire week Reed either came to the office late or left it early which his workaholic personality hasn't done in years.

Edwin ignored it too but what made him think was Jane being in hurry too. As well as Maxwell's presence was irking him more.

At first, he thought Jane's trying to avoid Maxwell which is why she's been looking in hurry but it was actually Reed, and Jane has been taking Alice for pretests.

The doctor took blood typing taste of her so in case of losing blood in excess the doctors would be prepared to use blood banks using the transfusion method.

Luckily Jane shares the same blood group as Alice so she's selected as one of the donors in case of emergency.

Reed requested Jane to not tell Alice that he arranged everything for Alice because even after the excellent preparation the chances of successful eye plantation surgery were told to be less than forty percent by doctors. Yet they took the risk.

Alice wasn't unaware of it which made her nervous. She turned more and more silent as the days passed and as the day of surgery finally arrived she, unfortunately, lost her confidence at the very end.

Her aunt was the only one at the hospital while Jane has to drop Edwin at the office promising Alice that she'll be at the hospital before she'll be taken to the operation theatre.

The sudden date of the surgery caused trouble as the eye donor who was on his deathbed died early in the morning and the eyes need to be collected within six hours of death for the replantation.

The final meeting and the surgery date came out to be the same. Reed's presence was necessary at both of the places.

Everyone was gathering for the final meeting. Reed was shaking his leg under the table waiting for the meeting to end when it wasn't fully started. Even the important persons like Edwin and Maxwell hadn't arrived yet.

Reed's mobile beeped. He glanced at the screen to see Alice's name. He received the call and brought that to his ear. " Hello-"

" Reed, Alice...she has locked herself in an empty ward. Jane isn't picking up my calls. I d-don't know what to do..." Her aunt's panicked voice was heard causing him to stand up from his place.

" Calm down first. I'm coming over." Hanging up the call he informed Stella to take care of things in his absence and rushed to the hospital leaving the meeting room with his car keys.

As soon as he approached the hospital he saw some nurses and Jane's aunt standing outside the locked ward.

" Is she in there?" Reed asked them.

The old woman nodded her head palming her mouth. " It's okay." Reed rubbed her back as she started to cry.

" Leave it to me I'll convince her." Reed assured and faced the nurses. " Don't crowd the place or she'd get more nervous." He said to them. " And take her with you." He added.

" I won't go anywhere-"

" Don't worry. I'll talk to her. She'll listen to me." Reed said placing his hand on his chest. " Trust me."

Their aunt nodded wiping her tears. " Get everything ready for the surgery. I'll take her to the ICU myself."

The nurses left along with their aunt as sounded confidential to them but not to himself.

He took a deep breath before facing the door. " Alice?" Reed called knocking on the door with his knuckles slowly. " Could you hear me?" He asked politely but there wasn't any response. " Why is a strong girl like you acting like this? Didn't you tell me last night that you are excited to see this world again? Alice? "

" What if the surgery fails?" Her fearful yet low voice finally came out from another side of the door.

" Is this what you are scared of?" Reed asked softly.

" No." She muttered but loud enough for Reed to hear. " Will you leave me if I'll never be able to see again?" She asked in a broken voice. Reed sighed audibly, feeling a heavy burden on his chest at her words. " Won't you get tired?" Her voice broke in the end. She slide her back down against the door and buried her head between her knees.

Reed placed her palm on the door as her loud sobbing was heard outside.

" Tired of what? Holding your hands? Being able to be around you every time, listen to you? Being lucky enough to usher you? Or to go park with you on my cycle?" Alice's head lifted at the questions. " I'll Never leave you, Alice, ever...I promise. Never think of yourself as a burden to me because you aren't. You can never be. Come on... come outside. I'm waiting to hold your hand. My cycle is waiting as well. Alice? Don't you want to see me? I'm not that ugly. People say I'm kinda handsome." He tried to cheer her but there was pin-drop silence. He was able to hear his own heartbeat. He felt weak for the first time.

A long moment later he heard a lock twisting sound before the door opened slowly.

There standing the girl with puffy eyes and a red nose. Reed sighed looking at her tear-stained cheeks.

He stepped inside and cupped her face. His thumb wiped her tears off.

Alice closed her eyes as his breath fanned her face. Reed leaned closer and softly pecked her eyelid. He looked down at her and lifted her face by placing his index finger under her chin. Alice kept her eyes closed sensing him nearer than ever.

She felt his thumb caressing her bottom lip which made her part her lips.

" I love you with or without your flaws." He confessed surprising Alice as well as himself. " I'll always love you, always. No matter what. I'll appoint thousands of doctors if this surgery fails. Not because I need you to see. It's because it's your wish. I love you the way you are. You are more than enough already". He promised.

She felt his arm encircling her waist and pulling her towards himself before a pair of lips landed on hers.

A tear rolled down her cheeks at his strong words. She grabbed his arms and kissed him back.

The gentleness he kissed her with was enough to make her believe in him. She believed in herself.

He pulled back and intertwined their fingers. " Let's go." He felt her palm cold and sweaty against his big one.

Her steps were slow as they made their way toward the operation theatre. He gave doctors a thumbs up as they were waiting for Alice." Best of luck."

• The best proof of love is trust.

Chapter Published On: 10 April 2023.

I was busy on Sunday, so sorry for the late update and thanks a lot for the 5k reads.😘💃🏻

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