Chapter 90 Echoes of the Night
CHAPTER NINETY
Valenticia’s POV~
I woke up the day after the ball in my own apartment, but could not get the picture of Stefan and Natasha dancing out of my head. Their steps, which were so smooth and perfect in my mind, ran over and over again, and the pain I felt in my chest was hard as I felt like it had just happened. I rolled out of bed, brewed some coffee and sat down at my tiny kitchen table to shake it off. Why did it bother me so much? It had been more than a year since Stefan and I broke up, and I was over it. But after seeing them last night, that all came flooding back and I didn’t know what to do with it.
I opened my laptop, checked my email in the hopes that work might give me something else to think about. I was working for Clawford Enterprises these days, and my agenda was packed full, and meetings and calls awaited me. At 9 a.m., I pulled on a blazer, skirt and made my way into the office. I took the elevator up to my floor. My assistant, Lena, was waiting for me with her tablet at my office door. “Morning, Valenticia,” she said, smiling. “Board meeting’s at ten. Shall I call up the sales reports now?
“Yes, please,” I said, sitting down at my desk. “And confirm my call with the East Coast suppliers at noon.” She nodded and disappeared down the hallway, and I opened a new tab with emails in boxes, numbers from last quarter, and updates on new products. Work felt like a kind of refuge, like a wall between me and last night’s hurt. But now and again, my thoughts would drift back to the ballroom, Stefan’s hand on Natasha’s waist, her laughter. I shook my head and stared more determinedly at the screen.
The board meeting went smoothly. We gathered one Thursday for lunch around the long table, and Mark from sales talked us through the latest numbers. “The environmentally friendly toys are up twenty percent,” he said, clicking through slides projected on the wall. “Retailers can’t keep them in stock.”
I nodded, jotting notes. “That’s great. And what about the shipping problems we saw last month!”
“Fixed,” he said. “New rail partner’s on board. No delays since last week.”
“Good,” I replied. “Keep it tight. Customers notice when we slip.” The team accepted, and we discussed budgets. I kept my voice even, banishing thoughts of the ball. Everybody listened, and I felt their respect, but I also got the side eye. Office gossip traveled fast.
After our meeting, I had lunch in the break room with Lena. She pushed a sandwich my way. “You okay? You seem quiet today.”
I took a bite and shrugged. “Just a long night. The ball was… a lot.”
Her eyes lit up, curious. “Spill. Did something happen with Stefan? People say you left early.”
I sighed, not feeling like jumping into it. “Saw him dancing with Natasha. Looked happy. That’s all.”
“Ouch. No wonder you’re off. Want to talk about it?” Lena said, leaning in a bit and speaking more softly.
“Not really,” I lied with a smile. “Work’s keeping me busy. That’s enough for now.” She didn’t try to push him for more of it, just nodded and switched topics to her weekend plans. I liked her for that as she knew when to let things go.
It had been a busy afternoon full of phone calls, and I stayed late to read reports. This was how my life had become— mornings with coffee and emails, afternoons in meetings, evenings alone with a book or TV. It was faithful, but empty where I didn’t want to acknowledge it. I did miss the chaos, the point of those Galden days, even if they were scary. It was only me and the company now, taking Mom’s legacy forward.
And the very next day, I drove over to Willow Creek Elderly Home and went to see Nana. I carried her favorite chamomile tea in a tiny tin, hoping it would make her smile. She was in her usual armchair by the sunroom window with a blanket across her lap. She seemed so happy to see me. “Val, you’re here,” she said, her voice unusually soft.
I wrapped an arm around her and placed the tea on the table. “Brought you something special, Nana. How’re you feeling?”
She coughed, a dry one that alarmed me. “Just a cold, child. Nothing to fuss over.” But she was low energy, and her hands were shaky this time. Then we talked about little things, a walk she took through the garden with her daughter, the new book she had begun. I assisted her in drinking the tea.
“You’re coughing more,” I said, with a gentle tone. “Did the doctor check it?”
She waved a hand. “They’re always checking. Says it’s nothing serious. I’m fine here.”
I frowned, not convinced. “‘Nana, I’ve got room at my place. You could come and live here with me. I’d take care of you.”
Her gaze softened, but she shook her head. “I like my space, Val. “My friends are here. Let me stay.”
I wasn’t pushy, but concerned. I stuck around, helping her with lunch — a bowl of soup and some bread. She was eating slowly, and I heard her breathing being slightly off, like it required energy. I hugged her tight when I got up and left. “Call if you need me, okay?”
“Always,” she said, mustering a brief smile.
I was cooking dinner in my apartment when my phone rang that evening. It was the Willow Creek doctor. “Valenticia? It’s about Rosanna. Tests reveal early signs of pneumonia. It’s not that serious yet, but we’re keeping a close watch on her. She needs meds and rest for now.”
My heart sank. “Pneumonia? Is she okay? Should I come now?”
“She’s stable,” he said. “Visiting tomorrow is fine. We’ll keep you updated.”
I thanked him and hung up, staring at the stove where my pasta sat untouched. Nana alone in that home, sick, made my stomach twist. I thought of her in my spare room, safe with me, sharing meals and stories. I started planning how to convince her—no more excuses about independence. She needed family now, and I was all she had left.
I ate dinner alone, the TV on low with some game show I didn’t watch. After cleaning up, I pulled out an old photo album from a shelf. Pictures of Mom and Nana filled the pages, her smiling at a park, baking in our old kitchen, and laughing at a holiday table. Mom was gone, but Nana was still here, and I wouldn’t lose her either. Family mattered more than anything—more than work, more than Stefan, more than the hurt from last night.
I had gone to bed early but felt wide awake. The ball stayed stuck in my mind. Stefan’s hand in Natasha’s, their effortless laughter. Why did it hurt so much? I had a life without him—Clawford, my apartment, time with Nana. But part of me wondered if I’d closed the door on him too quickly, if there was still something to salvage. Then I recalled the doctor’s call. Nana was my focus now. The past could wait.
By morning, I felt clearer. I called Lena to adjust my schedule, freeing up time to visit Nana again. “Everything okay?” she asked over the phone.
“Nana’s sick,” I said. “May have to take a few afternoons off.”
“Take what you need,” she said. “We’ve got this.” Her kindness made me feel less alone.
As I got ready for the day, I glanced at the photo album again, open to a picture of Nana holding me as a kid. Family was what mattered most. I’d get her home soon, no matter what it took.