Drowning Him In Regret

Chapter 10 Actually Make It

Getting back to work had me feeling like I'd clawed my way out of a fog, like I was finally firing on a few cylinders again.

The cherry on top? Actual money hitting my bank account.

Yesterday, finance-out of the blue-slid a full month's base salary my way. 6.5 thousand dollars. To me, that was like finding a leprechaun's stash.

I didn't bother overthinking why they'd pay me that much for three days' work. Jude's loaded; he wouldn't blink at a few bucks missing.

I slung half the money to Casey without a second thought. She was busting her hump, dragging fancy meals for two to the hospital every single day. That's no walk in the park.

Sure, she pulled a decent salary, but taking care of her grandma and me? That was a juggling act from hell.

Too bad she wasn't biting. When she stormed my room, she tore into me like I'd spit in her coffee.

"What's this bullshit? You tossing scraps at a bum? You think my cooking's some cheap-ass takeout anybody can buy? Don't come at me with pocket change-try a couple million, then we'll talk," she barked.

I cradled my plate, grinning like a total goof. "Casey, I'm back at it-got a paycheck and all. Pretty cool, right?"

"Why're you smiling like an idiot? You're still half-dead-eat your food, for Christ's sake. You're gonna be the death of me," she growled, plopping a couple slices of grilled filet mignon onto my plate.

But when she turned away, I caught her wiping her eyes, thinking I wouldn't see.

I chowed down on the filet mignon, my throat tightening. Holy hell, her cooking was a straight-up massacre of good food.

But each bite hit me hard, her care sinking deeper than the taste ever could. Once we'd stuffed ourselves silly, we fell into our usual banter.

When Casey caught wind I was designing again, her face darkened, worry creasing her brow. "Your condition-doesn't it mean you're supposed to take it easy, not stress yourself to death?

"You should be chilling, not killing yourself over work. And Jude-"

His name landed like a punch, and successfully unlockedet, dodging the rest of that minefield.

Jude was my personal ghost-always there, impossible to shake, a bruise I kept pressing on.

Chapter 10 Actually Make it

I flicked my hand like I didn't give a damn. "Work keeps my head straight, and money keeps me grinning. Beats wasting away in this bed."

"You know I'm a hot mess at everything else-design's my one decent trick," I said, shrugging. "Maybe I'll drop dead someday, but my buildings? They'll still be out there, kicking ass."

"Shut your fucking trap!" Casey snapped. "Don't you dare talk that grim shit!"

She was superstitious as they come, glaring daggers until she was sure I hadn't hexed myself. "Look, you gotta eat right-put some meat on those bones, get tough.

"Food's your new ride-or-die. I'm hauling it here every day, and you better keep it stocked when you're out."

I nodded quietly, but my brain was already crunching the math. The filet mignon cost more than my dignity. Why drop a fortune when eggs and milk get the job done?

Still, with cash flowing in, I could at least keep the pantry stocked without having a panic attack.

Maybe it was the boost in my headspace, but my body was rallying fast.

I'd even wrapped up the design revisions before they let me out of the hospital, and it felt good to nail something again.

Ellen came barreling into my room, grinning like she'd won the lottery. "Ada,

you're a goddamn legend! That revised plan? Approved first try, no bullshit!

"You don't even know-the design crew's been busting their asses for months, and those pricks kept shutting us down.

"Everyone's chomping at the bit for you to come back and run the show. So you better get yourself in gear and heal up!"

She went on and on about how the team was lost without me, but I wasn't born yesterday. I knew the truth, and it wasn't so rosy.

In the design department, I was like a fucking hurricane-wrecking everything in my path.

Jude could never keep his personal crap out of the office. He was always fucking over the team just to get at me. If he hadn't been such a colossal asshole, I wouldn't have walked out back then with my head held high.

The last thing I wanted was to drag everyone else down with my drama-screw that

noise.

But now? Things had changed. First, I had to make sure I didn't croak before I could even think about the rest.

"Long as Bright Group's on board, we're good. This project's a big fucking deal," I said, already tallying up my commission in my head.noveldrama

Should cover my meds for a solid six months. That little math problem had me smiling

Chapter 10 Actually Make h

-six more months of not kicking the bucket? I'd take it.

"Yeah, but... they wanna meet, like, yesterday. In person, "Ellen said, her face scrunching up like she'd bitten into a bad apple.

And there it was-the real reason she'd hightailed it here straight from work.

The design was my brainchild, so naturally, I had to be the one to seal the deal. Anyone else might fuck it up and send us back to square one.

I ran the numbers in my head and told her to book the meeting for three days out at the office.

Three days wouldn't derail the project, but for me? Those were gold. I needed to get the hell out of this hospital, go home, and just breathe for a minute.

Man, I missed Toto. It'd been way too long since I'd hung out with that little fluffball.

That night, the nurse showed me my latest labs before I hit the sack. I was bouncing back better than anyone expected-like I'd dodged death's punch and lived to tell the tale. For the first time in forever, I felt like I might actually make it.

Then, at some godforsaken hour past midnight, my phone started buzzing like a pissed-off hornet. Jude, of course.

Even on silent, the thing could wake a coma patient. I dragged myself out of bed and shuffled to a dark corner of the hallway to answer.

"Ada, what the fuck's with scheduling Bright for three days from now?" he snapped. " You got any clue how huge this project is?

"Why's it so hard to meet them now? What's with the fucking attitude? You really

think the company's gonna grind to a halt without you?"

His voice grated like sandpaper, and I just stood there, a bitter smirk tugging at

my lips.

Big project, huh? So big he couldn't even pick up their damn calls?

I propped the phone on the windowsill and stared out into the night. The hospital grounds were eerie as hell, all cold lights and shadows that made my chest feel hollow.

A full minute later, he finally noticed I hadn't said jack. "Ada, you even there?"

I snatched the phone back, my voice flat as day-old soda. "You still in Sorene City?"

Silence for a beat. Then I heard Vivian laughing like a kid in the background. "Jude, check it out! I nabbed a little crab!"

I glanced at the phone, my stomach twisting. So that's what they were doing- romping around catching crabs at midnight. Fucking adorable.