Chapter 591
He spoke slowly, his voice carrying that familiar roughness. “Make sure you eat on time. You’ve gotten thinner lately. If you need anything, tell Lyman. Sleep earlier. And if you’re not in a good mood, spend more time with your friends.”
With every sentence, her grip on the car door grew tighter.
Then he said the last thing.
“Take care.”
Nothing else followed. No extra words. No small talk.
His footsteps gradually faded into the distance. Kailey stood with her head lowered, her thoughts unreadable to anyone watching.
For a brief moment, Shawn thought she might turn back. Instead, she bent down and slid into the car. “What are you waiting for? Drive,” she said, her tone turning sharp.
“Understood.”
The engine started, and the car pulled away into the night.
When Kailey arrived back at Mountain View Residence, she handed Shawn his phone. “Thanks for today,” she said.
He gave a quiet nod and stepped out of her way without another word.
After spending the entire day outside, exhaustion had settled deep into her arms and legs. Once she finished showering, she lay down on the bed. Even so, sleep wouldn’t come.
Faint light from outside scattered across the ceiling, shifting gently as the wind moved through the night. Memories rose one after another in her mind, unfolding like scenes from an old film. Faces appeared, then slipped away. People came into her life, then walked out. In the end, everything felt like a long line of goodbyes.
At some point, she drifted off without realizing it.
A knock at the door pulled her from sleep.
Shawn was standing outside. The moment he noticed she was still in her sleepwear, he turned his eyes away at once. “Ms. Evans, there’s a call for you.”
Kailey took the phone and saw Irene’s name on the screen.
“Hello, Irene. I’m sorry — I left so suddenly yesterday. Were you angry with me?”
Irene responded right away. “Since when have I ever been that petty? I’m worried about you. The way Kyson behaved yesterday — I should’ve given you a heads-up. I’m sorry, Kailey.”
“I know you were thinking of me. You don’t need to apologize.” A quiet thought crossed Kailey’s mind that they might not see each other again. “I have a few things to handle over the next couple of days, so I probably can’t spend time with you. Please — take care of yourself.”
“Just focus on what you need to do.” Irene paused, as though something didn’t sit quite right with her, though she couldn’t explain why. “There will be plenty of chances for us to meet later. The company doesn’t rely on me as much anymore. I’ll come to Aslesall more often from now on, as long as you don’t find me annoying.”
Instead of answering, Kailey changed the topic.
In less than ten days, she would be leaving the country. No one knew when they would meet again.
After exchanging a few more words, Kailey ended the call. She stood quietly for a moment, then walked back to the door and returned the phone to Shawn.
“Has Lyman been busy lately?” she asked.