Chapter 3

After Garrett asked that question, I froze.

Had I thought about it?

Of course I had. Every single day.

But the moment I remembered my failing ears, my throat closed up.

In the end, I pretended I hadn't heard him and turned my gaze out the window.

The wind rustled violently through the autumn trees.

I held down the voice note button and whispered: "The wind is crazy tonight. Drive safe on your way home."

The moment the message sent, I placed my phone face down on the desk.

I thought the awkward moment had passed.

But the next day, Garrett changed completely.

He used to have an endless stream of things to tell me, constantly keeping me updated on his day.

After that night, his texts trickled down to almost nothing.

He stopped reaching out first.

Unable to take it anymore, I finally texted him: "You asleep?"

Garrett: Yes.

Me: Can we talk on the phone?

Garrett: Busy.

Tired of typing, I hit FaceTime directly.

To my surprise, he picked up instantly.

The background looked like a crowded, dimly lit VIP lounge at a club. Strobe lights flashed against dozens of people drinking and partying.

Garrett's face was a mask of cold irritation.

I yelled over the noise, "Is it loud over there?"

He expressionlessly typed into the chat: "Not really."

"Why aren't you speaking?"

He typed back: "Don't feel like hearing your voice."

Suddenly, a pretty girl leaned into the camera frame, eyeing the screen curiously.

"Garrett, who is that?"

Garrett glanced at the screen, annoyance written all over his features.

"Just someone I play games with."

My fingers went numb on the phone.

"Someone you play games with?"

I repeated the words, my voice barely a whisper.

He seemed to realize what he'd said and frowned, parting his lips as if to explain.

I forced a tight smile before he could speak.

"Have fun then."

"I won't bother you."

I hung up immediately.

That night, I didn't wait for his text.

And in the days that followed, no explanation ever came.

We cut all contact, vanishing from each other's lives.

And now, five years later, we met again.

Only this time, he was my boss.

Halfway through the all-hands meeting, my hearing aid died completely. I had to slip out to the restroom to swap the tiny battery.

By the time I rushed back to Conference Room 1, the room was empty.

"Wait, didn't they say there was a massive announcement?" I grabbed Zoe by the arm.

Zoe looked just as baffled.

She told me that the second I walked out, Garrett's face turned darker than a thundercloud. He abruptly wrapped up the meeting and dismissed everyone.

"Word is, Mr. Vance just summoned the Head of HR into his office," Zoe whispered, tugging at her hair in panic.

"They're definitely planning layoffs."

"Oh God, after paying rent this month, I won't even have money for groceries!"

I wanted to scream too.

I was still tens of thousands of dollars short of the cochlear implant surgery I desperately needed.

The dreaded axe hung over the office all afternoon.

Colleagues were called into HR one by one.

Every single person walked out looking like a walking corpse.

The composed ones managed a stiff, tearful smile; the rest broke down sobbing right in the hallway.

As names were crossed off the list, mine was never called.

I let out a cautious sigh of relief.

Still, an uneasy pit formed in my stomach.

I wandered over to the HR department just as Brenda, the HR director, was packing up her files.

I quickly stopped her. "Brenda, why wasn't my name on the list?"

She paused, looking up at me with an odd expression.

"Your case... Mr. Vance wants to handle it personally."

My stomach dropped.

One second I was relieved I wasn't fired.

The next, I was summoned for a private execution with the big boss himself.

Why did I have a terrible feeling about this?