One Week Later
For days, I had been trapped in a whirlwind of unspoken thoughts and unanswered questions. My productivity at work had been steadily declining, and I knew I needed a break—a full week to gather myself and sort through the chaos in my mind. As I waited for my vacation approval, Jack walked into the office.
"Good morning, Emily. How are you today?"
Before I answer him, let me give you some context: Jack and I had been in constant contact over the phone for a week, yet he would vanish intermittently. Since our three-day meeting, he no longer acted close; he seemed distant, almost indifferent. Meanwhile, I had been immersed in work—preparing presentations for crucial meetings and attending finance fairs.
- Good morning, Jack. Thank you… I'm fine, just a little tired. How about you?
- I'm good. I had some issues to resolve, so I dealt with them.
- I see… I hope everything turned out well for you.
He cast me a look that suggested suspicion, yet he hid it well, nodding briefly before returning to his desk.
As I waited for my leave approval, I was quietly finishing a few remaining tasks when an assistant entered the room.
- Ms. Emily, I'm Anna, your assistant. May I come in?
-0f course, Anna. Please.
- Ms. Emily, your vacation has been approved by the manager. Here's your leave document.
- Thank you, Anna.
Jack was observing me. For a moment, his eyes met mine. "Are you going somewhere?" he asked. I nodded silently. And then, as if a dam had broken, questions poured from him in rapid succession, culminating in a single startling one:
- To that place… the church… again?
Shock froze me in place. What was I supposed to say? How did he suddenly know about a place no one else did? How could he possibly know I had been there? Should I ask him where he found out? My mind became a storm of questions, fears, and suspicions—but I had to mask it all.
- I just wanted to take a short vacation from my annual leave. I don't understand why you're asking so many questions, Jack.
- I never thought of you as someone who takes vacations—you're such a workaholic. That's why I was curious, he replied.
He seemed slightly unsettled by my response, answering in a careful, almost defensive manner, as if trying to justify himself while quietly accusing me.
- I'll see you, Jack. I'll be gone for a week, and everything's in your hands while I'm away. Take care—we'll talk when I return.
With that, I left the office. I immediately turned off all location permissions on my phone, rented another car, and set off for my vacation.
Would I run into Jack at the place I was headed? Only time would tell.