Chapter 2 - THE CUFFLINK
The bedroom window stood open to the night.
Emily had opened it earlier because the room felt too warm.
Now Grant stood between her and the door.
“You are not walking into that board meeting tomorrow and blowing up the sale.”
Emily’s heart beat hard.
“Move.”
“No.”
“Grant.”
“You think this is courage because you finally read one schedule?”
“I think it is my vote.”
“You have no idea what you are voting on.”
“Then maybe you should have explained before paying yourself.”
His face hardened.
“I earned that fee.”
“Then disclose it and let the board decide.”
“They will use it to kill the deal.”
“Then maybe the deal deserves to die.”
Grant caught her arm.
Emily pulled away.
“Let go.”
“Listen to me.”
“No.”
She moved toward the open space near the window.
Grant followed.
“You don’t get to destroy everything because you’re scared.”
Emily turned.
“I said no.”
He shoved her.
Hard.
Emily stumbled backward.
Her hip struck the window ledge.
Then nothing beneath one foot.
Air.
She grabbed Grant’s wrist.
“Grant, please!”
His gold cufflink dug into her fingers.
Her grip slipped.
Pain flashed.
The cufflink tore free.
Then the world disappeared.
Hospital light came first.
Then pain.
Emily opened her eyes.
Grant sat beside the bed.
He immediately leaned close and gripped her hand.
“You fell.”
She stared.
His voice dropped to a whisper.
“That’s what happened. Understand?”
Emily’s heart began racing.
The door opened.
Dr. Ethan Reed walked in wearing a white coat and carrying a tablet.
He looked from Emily to Grant.
“What happened?”
Grant answered instantly.
“She fell.”
Emily said nothing.
Dr. Reed looked at her face.
Bruised cheek.
Split lip.
Bandaged shoulder.
Then down.
Emily’s right hand remained tightly closed beneath the blanket.
Grant reached for the blanket.
“She’s coming home with me.”
Dr. Reed stepped aside.
Then stopped.
Something metallic showed between Emily’s fingers.
He gently opened her hand.
A torn gold cufflink.
Dr. Reed looked at it.
Then at Grant’s shirt cuff.
One cufflink was missing.
Grant froze.
Then recovered.
He grabbed the wheelchair beside the bed.
“We’re leaving.”
Dr. Reed stepped directly in front of him.
“No. You’re not.”
Grant stared.
Dr. Reed held up the cufflink.
Grant’s face turned pale.
Then, slowly, the color returned.
“You think that proves something?”
Dr. Reed said nothing.
Grant looked at Emily.
May you like
“She grabbed me when she fell.”
And just like that, the cufflink became two different stories.
