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“Daniel, I just heard what happened. That is so nuts! Are you ok?” Damien asked, standing in front of his mother.
“Everything is okay, thanks,” I smiled and shrugged. What was I supposed to say?
“Mom has something to say,” Damien continued, as he nudged Anastasia forward.
“Uh… I'm so sorry about our earlier discussion. I… I was looking out for my own and Damien's interests, and that wasn't right. Damien has told me of his faith in you and how you're the one who should head this company. I'm sorry for meddling. Or, trying to, at least."
“It’s okay, Anastasia,” I said as I stood up and embraced her tightly. I saw now that I had to appreciate everyone. They couldn’t be exactly as I wanted. They were different, and that was fine. Maybe they had been so distant from me because I pushed them away. I was unapproachable, and that had to change. We chatted for a while before they left. They were almost out the door when Damien turned back.
“You might want to go to the hospital,” he advised, before turning and leaving.
My body twitched as I grabbed my car keys and hurried to the parking garage. I understood the reason why he told me. I knew exactly where she was going to be. I arrived at the hospital and despite being tired and drained, I gathered enough strength to snake through the hallways of the hospital. I knocked on the door of Jordan’s ward and Amy opened the door. She closed it as soon as she saw me, and I could see that she was definitely mad at me. I knocked again, but she didn’t budge.
It was the most helpless feeling I have ever had–the woman I loved standing on the other side of the door, not letting me inside.
Chapter 43
Amy
Igotoffthephone and stared into a dull, cloudy San Francisco sky. Somehow, it calmed me and I needed that after hearing the news that was just delivered to me.
“Was that Daniel?” Jordan asked eagerly.
“It was Damien, a colleague at work,” I replied. I was reluctant to tell him where I was when he asked, but when he told me about what happened to Daniel, I felt my heart jump into my throat. I was relieved when I heard that he was fine, but I had to visit him. Damien explained everything that happened at the company, and that Daniel wasn’t the one responsible for breaching my contract. I could hardly believe that he had lost his father’s company, only to gain it back again.
I had to go see him. I hugged Jordan after promising her that I would be back as soon as possible. I started to walk toward the door when I heard a knock. I opened it to see who it was and there he was: Daniel.
I shut the door on him instinctively and rested my back against the solid wood. I breathed heavily and quickly, as if I had just seen a ghost. I thought I was ready, but suddenly I didn't feel ready.
He knocked again.
“Amy, I know you’re in there,” he said softly. “Look, I don’t even know where to begin. I guess I’ll begin with I’m sorry. I’m sorry that the news of your research got out. I really am. I know that was a really important piece for you and I’m so sorry that you felt so betrayed. I uh…I got involved in a little incident last night. I kind of lost the company. It was all messed up, but I ended up getting it back. It's such a bizarre story that I might get an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records for that one.” He laughed quietly, and I rolled my eyes.
“Jolene–you remember Jolene?–she, um, helped me with a little assassin problem at my house. Everything is fine now, but it was definitely weird.”
He sighed deeply, and I heard a thud, like he laid his head against the door.
“Anyway, I’m here because I just really wanted to talk to you. I needed to talk to you. I’m so sorry, Amy.”
“You had me crying all day,” I said quietly through the door, ignoring the looks from Jordan. This was clearly the most entertainment she’d seen in a long time.
“I’m so sorry, Amy.”
I exhaled fully and slowly opened the door. Daniel looked sincerely apologetic. I hadn't seen that look in his eyes before. He stepped into the room.
“Damien just called and already told me that you weren’t the one who organized the press conference. I've just been through a whole range of emotions. I guess I'm finding it hard to switch my emotions so quickly. It's like, as much as I'm relieved to hear the truth, I just want to be mad at you for a little longer.” I shrugged.
“I deserve that, Amy,” he said. “But there’s something else I have to tell you."
He pulled me close to him with his hands on my shoulders and looked deep into my eyes.
"I love you, Amy."
Those words set my heart on fire, stealing all the oxygen from my body and making my heart race.
Daniel loved me?
My heart felt like it swelled to two times its size and although I had been crying all day, my miraculous body was able to push out a few more. Maybe this time I was emptying the "happy" bucket.
