C08
The phone he had thrown to the ground suddenly started ringing.
Emeric glanced down at the caller ID–it was Marie.
Her name used to make his heart race the moment he saw it. But now, for some reason, it only irritated him.
8:43 AM
Fading Love, Fading Hate, A Forever Farewell
He was waiting for Pierre’s call.
Why was Marie being so inconsiderate? Calling at a time like this, only adding to his frustration.
Without hesitation, for the first time ever, Emeric declined Marie’s call. After a brief pause, he went a step further -blocking her number.
He’d unblock her once he got word from Pierre.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, Pierre’s call came through.
Emeric answered immediately.
On the other end, Pierre hesitated before stammering, “Boss… she–she left the country… Do we… still keep
looking?”
“Book a flight,” Emeric replied curtly.
“But… the company can’t afford to be short–staffed right now. With your brother gone, you and that woman could
at least spend a couple of days-”
“Book the damn flight! Now!”
Hearing the anger in Emeric’s voice, Pierre said no more and did as told.
At that, Emeric ended the call abruptly.
The moment he hung up, Marie crossed his mind–her contact remained in his blocked list.
But for some reason, he no longer had the strength to unblock her.
***
The moment the plane touched down, I felt like I had been reborn.
In this unfamiliar country, with no familiar sights, no familiar faces–for the first time in my life, I felt truly safe.
As soon as I collected my luggage, I spotted a group of people at the arrival gate holding signs with my name. The loudest among them was Adrien Morel, my senior from university. Even after all these years, he still had the same youthful energy, as if he had never aged a day.
Before getting off the plane, I had caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. It hadn’t been that long since I graduated, yet somehow, I already looked… worn.
“Flora! Finally! We’ve been waiting forever for you!” Adrien called out excitedly as he and the others rushed
toward me.
Before I could react, someone–overcome with enthusiasm–lunged forward and pulled me into a hug.
A wave of discomfort surged through me instantly.
My body reacted before my mind could catch up–I pushed them away on instinct.
Adrien must have caught the look on my face because he quickly stepped in, holding the others back. “Alright, everyone, calm down! We’ve got all the time in the world to catch up–no need to smother her the second she lands. And hey, hands off, no sneaky hugs! Now, go grab the luggage.”
Seeing the others busy themselves with my luggage, Adrien turned back to me, a hint of apology in his eyes “Sorry, Flora. Was that too noisy? Too many people? I should have planned this better.”
“No, it’s not that…” I started to explain, but Adrien quickly cut me off.
“I know, Flora. When I asked you to come six months ago, it wasn’t just because the lab needed someone with your skills–though we really do. It was also because of everything that happened. I thought a fresh start might make things easier for you. But that’s behind us now. You’re here and from now on, we focus on the work–nothing else.”
The way Adrien tried to sound casual, as if none of it was a big deal, made my chest tighten.
Emeric had always told me that human relationships were rarely sincere–that most people only cared about
their own interests.
But I never expected this.
8:44 AM / Ժ
Fading Love, Fading Hate, A Forever Farewell
But I never expected this.
Adrien and I had only been classmates for four years in college, three more during grad school. And yet, here he
was, going out of his way to shield me, to look after my emotions.
The kindness of it made my eyes sting with the threat of tears.
Maybe it reminded me of the past. Back then, as a junior, I hadn’t seen much of the world yet.
Or maybe scientists were just simpler. They were purer at heart.
