Jeffrey's face turned a shade darker, the storm within evident. "Too late." "What?" Ever since Byte 7 had called out of the blue, Dorothy had been on edge.
She fretted over whether the task of recovering the data from the flash drive was too much, even for Byte 7. Otherwise, why would he have made a point to call about it? From what Kenneth had said, Byte 7 was notoriously reclusive, hating to make contact with anyone. Even his impatient tone on the phone was a giveaway.
"What's on your mind?" Everett had just wrapped up signing a couple of contracts when he caught Dorothy daydreaming by the floor-to-ceiling window.
Dorothy started at the sound of his voice and offered a forced smile, "It's nothing." Sensing she wasn't keen on sharing, Everett held back his questions, even though he was itching to ask.
"Come here." He called out to her with a warm voice, and Dorothy slowly made her way to the bedside.
"Can you stand on your leg now?" "It hurts a bit, but Dr. Quincy suggested I should try walking a bit." As she approached Everett, she instinctively looked down to check if his wound was bleeding.
He was always moving about, causing the wound to reopen time and again. It seemed like it just wouldn't heal! "After I'm discharged, let's head back home, and you can move into Bay Residence with the kids for good, okay?" He had it all planned out. They would clear out two of the rarely used guest rooms at Bay Residence and convert them into children’s rooms.
One for Langston, one for Abigail.
And that large, vacant space in front of the study, currently filled with antiques, could be cleared out too. They could install a play castle for the kids. This way, the children could retreat to their rooms when they wanted peace or step out the door to play with their toys whenever they wished.
Bay Residence was spacious, and he hadn't bothered to plan out the space before. Living alone, he hadn't needed to. But now, with a wife and kids coming back, it was time to redesign the place thoughtfully.
But Dorothy hadn't dared to entertain such thoughts. Given Everett's injury, it would be a miracle if he were healed and discharged within a month! She was worried that the flash drive might be recovered before Everett even got a chance to fly back home.
"You don't like Bay Residence?" Noticing Dorothy's silence, Everett pressed on.
She shook her head, "No, I love it there. It's so peaceful.” "Just move back in, okay?" Everett seemed desperate for a definitive answer, his gaze locking onto hers. "Move back into our home." "Everett, I just remembered I haven't applied your medication today." Dorothy tried to sidestep the conversation.
But Everett caught her wrist in a firm grip. "Why can't you answer the question? Is it that you don't see a future with me?" He couldn't think of any other reason for her hesitancy.
Dorothy laughed awkwardly, "Don't overthink it. I just feel like the future is uncertain, and I don't want to plan ahead. Aren't we good right now? Why worry about the long term?" "So, what am I to you?" Everett shifted the angle of his question, but the essence remained, "A classmate, an ex-husband, or a boss?" "You're Abigail and Langston's dad! Why would you even ask that?" Dorothy instinctively looked for an escape, overwhelmed by Everett's interrogation.
"Tell me the truth, what did my dad threaten you with?" He couldn't think of any other reason for her reluctance, "He didn't say he'd hurt the kids, did he? Is that why you agreed to leave me?" Everett forced Dorothy to face him, ensuring she looked into his eyes.
"Trust me, I can protect Abigail and Langston. You don't have to fear such threats!"
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