Chapter 10 Dramatic

Ever since I'd started working again, I felt like some of my energy had returned. Most importantly, I finally had a paycheck. Yesterday, the finance department had surprisingly issued me a month's base salary. To me, 20 thousand dollars was a huge sum. I didn't bother questioning why I'd gotten a full month's salary after working for only three days. Calvin wasn't short on money anyway. I immediately transferred 10 thousand dollars to Queenie. She'd been tirelessly preparing nutritious meals for both me and her grandmother, and it was a lot of work. Although she had a fairly high salary, taking care of me and her grandmother was a heavy burden. Unfortunately, she refused to accept the money and stormed into the hospital to give me a good scolding. "What? Are you doing charity? Do you think anyone can just eat meals made by the Ms. Myer? If you're not going to transfer at least a million or two, don't even think about it!" I held my plate and grinned at her. "Queen, I've decided to work again. I got my paycheck." "What are you grinning about? You haven't fully recovered yet. Eat up. You're so annoying." She forcefully placed two pieces of salmon on my plate, and as she turned away, I caught her wiping a tear. I ate the salmon in big bites and felt my eyes well up with tears too. The salmon was wasted on her cooking. After our meal, we slipped into a casual conversation as usual. When she saw me working on designs again, her face filled with concern. "Won't your condition worsen by stress? You should really be resting, Calvin…" At the mention of Calvin, we both tacitly avoided the topic. He was a taboo in my life—an unavoidable one. I waved dismissively. "Work makes me happy, and earning money cheers me up. It's better than lying in bed. "You know me, the only talent I have left from being a lousy student is my ability to design. Maybe I won't make it one day, but my buildings will stand tall, right?" "Hush now, don't talk nonsense!" Queenie was terribly superstitious. After knocking on wood a few times, she finally relaxed. "You need proper nutrition. The stronger you get, the more resistant you'll be to illness. "You should have some more salmon. I'll bring it every day, and you should also keep buying it when you're home." I nodded silently, but in my head, I was calculating the costs. Salmon was too expensive. Eggs and milk, which were also high in protein, were much more affordable. Luckily, now I had my salary, and at least I wouldn't have to worry about food. Perhaps because my mood had improved, my recovery was going well. Before I was discharged, I even managed to complete the design revisions. Lyra came rushing to the hospital, her face etched with excitement. "Summer, you're amazing! The revisions were approved on the first try! You have no idea that the design department had been going back and forth with them for months, and it kept getting rejected. "Everyone's waiting for you to come back and take charge. You need to get better soon." She chattered away about how much everyone missed me, but I knew that wasn't entirely true. I had been a thorn in their side when I had been in the design department. After all, Calvin often mixed business with personal matters. He'd always exploited the department staff just because I'd been the design director. That was why I'd left so decisively back then. I hadn't wanted to drag them down anymore. But now things were different. I had to focus on surviving before worrying about anything else. "As long as there are no issues with Lumenix Group's project, that's all that matters. It's a big one." I was already calculating the full commission. It was enough to cover six months of medication. With that thought, my mood brightened even more. I had just bought myself another six months of life. "But the client wants to meet immediately. They want to discuss the revisions with you in person…" Seeing Lyra's troubled expression, I finally understood why she'd rushed over after work. The design proposal was my idea, and it was indeed my responsibility to handle the meeting. Anyone else would be unfamiliar with the project, and it could easily backfire. I calculated the time and proposed a meeting three days later at the office. Three days wouldn't impact the project significantly, but it was crucial for me. I needed to be discharged and rest at home for a while longer. Thinking about how long it had been since I'd last seen Duffy, I realized I missed him a little. Before I got in bed, the nurse showed me my latest test results. I was indeed recovering well. It was as if I'd been given another shot at life. But in the early hours of the morning, Calvin's phone call interrupted my peaceful sleep. Though my phone was on vibrate, the noise was loud. I quickly left the ward and answered the call in a corner of the corridor. "Summer, why is the meeting with Lumenix Group scheduled three days later? Do you know how important this project is? "How hard is it to attend the meeting right away? Why are you being so dramatic? Do you think the company can't function without you?" As Calvin's harsh criticisms flooded in, all I could do was laugh coldly. He knew how important the project was, yet he hadn't bothered to take their calls. I set the phone on the windowsill and gazed out at the night. The hospital felt eerily cold. Even with the streetlights, it all seemed so desolate. After a minute, he finally realized I hadn't said a word. "Are you even listening?" I picked up the phone and asked in a flat tone, "Are you still in Savile?" There was a brief pause, and I heard Emily's cheerful voice in the background. "Cal, look! I caught a little crab!" I looked down at my phone. How romantic of them to go out and catch crabs at midnight.