Chapter 91 Lingering echoes

Chapter 91 Lingering echoes
Kayla’s POV

“Please make sure these files are submitted before noon,” I said, sliding the folder across my desk. “And follow up with the vendors about the revised timelines. I want confirmation, not acknowledgement.”

My secretary nodded, flipping the folder open. “Understood. Do you want me to prioritize the Northbridge proposal as well?”

“Yes,” I replied without hesitation. “They’ve been on the fence for weeks. If we don’t lock them in now, we lose them.”

She hesitated slightly before asking, “Are you available for calls today?”

“I am,” I said firmly. “All day.”

That earned me a small smile. “It’s good to have you fully back.”

When she left, I sat still for a moment, absorbing her words. Fully back. The realization struck deeper than I expected. I had been present at work over the past few days, truly present, in a way I had not been for weeks. 

There were no unanswered calls tugging at my attention, no constant anticipation of a text that might or might not come.

Steven had not called.

Ashton had not either.

Oddly enough, the silence had been refreshing.

I swiveled my chair toward the window, watching people move along the street below. Without the emotional noise, my days had become clearer. I had reclaimed meetings that once felt overwhelming, personally reached out to clients who had grown distant, and even managed to convince a few to return after explaining delays honestly instead of hiding behind assistants.

Work felt like mine again.

And it was not just work.

Over the weekend, I went on a picnic with my mother. It was unplanned and simple, just a blanket, homemade food, and hours of conversation under the open sky.

“You’ve been carrying too much on your own,” she had said gently as we sat side by side. “You don’t always have to be strong.”

“I know,” I had replied, resting my head against her shoulder for a moment. “I just forget sometimes.”

Being around her reminded me of who I was before everything became complicated.

I had also made myself useful again to my friends. Just yesterday, Thomas had called in a panic.

“Kayla, please tell me you can help,” he had said. “I’ve messed up the reservation for Haylee’s birthday.”

I had smiled, already opening my laptop. “Relax. How many days?”

“Two.”

“Luxury yacht?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll handle it.”

True to my word, I secured the booking within hours.

My phone buzzed on my desk now, pulling me back to the present.

It was Thomas again.

“Tell me it’s real,” he said before I could speak.

“It’s confirmed,” I replied. “Private deck, full service.”

He laughed loudly. “She’s going to love it. Kayla, thank you.”

“Just make sure you don’t spoil the surprise,” I said.

“I won’t. I promise.”

When the call ended, I allowed myself a small smile. Moments like that reminded me that my world extended beyond chaos and suspicion.

Still, beneath the productivity and calm, unease lingered.

The case remained unresolved.

There had been no updates from the commissioner. No communication from the FBI. And no word from Steven, despite his unsettling call days ago.

The lack of information felt like standing on unstable ground.

The door opened suddenly.

“I’m ready to work,” Maya announced cheerfully as she stepped inside.

I stood up immediately. “Maya, what are you doing here?”

She laughed. “Returning to my job.”

“You’re supposed to be resting,” I said, walking around the desk toward her. “Your recovery isn’t a race.”

“I’m fine,” she insisted. “Honestly. Staying at home was making me restless.”

I studied her closely. “You’re sure?”

She nodded. “Completely.”

I sighed. “Alright. But you take it slow. No arguments.”

“Deal,” she said with a grin.

We spent the next hour catching up between tasks. She told me about her time away, about boredom and half-watched shows, while I filled her in on office developments. The familiar rhythm between us settled easily.

My secretary reappeared later. “Ma’am, a reminder about the ball this evening.”

Maya’s head snapped up. “Ball?”

“Yes,” I replied. “A formal event. Potential investor. Very influential.”

“It’s important,” my secretary added. “He prefers personal interactions.”

I nodded. “I know.”

As soon as she left, my phone rang.

“Kayla,” my mother said the moment I answered. “You haven’t forgotten about the race tomorrow, have you?”

“No,” I said softly. “I haven’t.”

“You’ll be there,” she pressed. “It matters.”

“I know it does,” I replied, already torn.

After hanging up, I leaned back against my desk.

“I can’t miss the ball,” I said aloud. “But I can’t skip the race either.”

“I’ll go to the ball,” Maya said without hesitation.

I turned to her. “No. Sending a representative could ruin everything.”

“I know how to handle clients,” she said calmly. “You taught me.”

I hesitated. “It’s risky.”

“So is overworking yourself,” she countered. “Let me do this.”

After several minutes of back and forth, I finally nodded. “Fine. But call me if anything feels off.”

“I will,” she promised.

Later that evening, as I drove home, traffic slowed unexpectedly. I barely had time to brake before another car struck mine.

I stepped out immediately. “Are you serious?”

“I’m sorry,” a familiar voice said.

Ashton.

Of course it was him.

“You should watch where you’re going,” I snapped.

“So should you,” he replied, then softened. “Kayla, I didn’t expect to see you.”

“I need to talk to you,” he quietly added.

Before I could respond, the passenger door of his car opened.

The woman stepped out.

The same one I met in his house the other day.

My chest tightened.

“No,” I said flatly. “We’re not doing this.”

I turned away, ignoring his calls as I got back into my car.

My phone buzzed almost immediately with an apology message from him. but I didn’t bother to open it.

The memory from the other day surfaced vividly.

I had stood there that night, frozen, watching him making out with her.

“Kayla, wait,” he had said desperately the moment he saw me standing there.

The woman had laughed, her tone sharp. “Relax. She’ll get over it.”

That had been the final straw.

“I came to thank you,” I had said coldly. “For reminding me what fun feels like. But this ends here.”

He had called after me, but I had walked away without a second glance behind me.

Back home now, I caught sight of the television as I passed through the living room.

An advertisement was being displayed and it was Steven right there, looking so handsome in that wine tuxedo suit.

I stopped, my heart tightening as I kept watching him before heading to my room.

In the shower, my thoughts betrayed me. His touch lingered in my mind. His kiss. The intensity in his eyes when he looked at me like I was something he could not afford to lose.

A knock interrupted me.

“Kayla,” my mother called. “Are you alright?”

“Yes,” I said quickly. “Just having my shower.”

Later, curled in bed, my phone chimed. It was an email from my racing coach.

‘Vivian had dropped out of the competition.’

I stared at the screen, unease settling deep in my chest, “Why had she suddenly dropped out of the race?”