No More Waiting, She Chooses Love



"Director Hudson, there you are! I was beginning to think you hadn't shown up."

I was just about to check if my breakfast had been tossed into the trash when Grant walked in, holding a bag. "Here, breakfast!"

As soon as he mentioned breakfast, everything made sense.

Breakfast had arrived, but it wasn't the one Dustin had sent over.

I didn't say anything, just looked at him, knowing he wouldn't bring me breakfast without a reason.

As expected, as he set down the breakfast, he said, "Got called into the office for overtime by Mr. Collins at 5 AM and I was so hungry I ended up eating the breakfast on your desk. This is to make it up to you."

I didn't buy his story for a second, but I was too tired to call him out on it. "No need to make it up, I've already eaten."

Truth be told, I hadn't eaten at all. For some reason, I had lost all interest in food these past few days, as if I had lost the ability to feel hungry, and even the thought of eating made me nauseous.

"You can't say that, you must think what I got isn't tasty. But trust me, it's specially made," Grant said with a mysterious grin.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Really? Well, let me have a look. If it suits my taste, I might take a few bites."

Opening the food container, I found a breakfast of scrambled eggs with shrimp and veggies, a porridge sweetened with maple syrup, and my favorite side salads.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

This selection was definitely made to order, and I even had a hunch who might have arranged it.

"Not bad, huh? Tasty, fragrant, nutritious - it's got it all," Grant said, reaching to unpack the utensils for me.

I quickly snapped the container shut. "Meh, just looking at it turns my stomach."

Grant froze. "But... these are your favorites, aren't they? How come today you're just..."

"How does Mr. Smith know my favorites?" I cut him off, fixing him with a stern gaze.

Grant mumbled, "I... I heard you mention them, remember? During one of our chats."

He was clearly making it up as he went along; I wasn't senile and could remember our conversations perfectly well.

This had Ernest's fingerprints all over it, using Grant as his intermediary.

Even after breaking up, Ernest was still playing these games, really getting under my skin and confusing me at the same time. What was he trying to do?

I wanted to confront him with these meals, demand an explanation, but I held back.

The more he did this, the more I ignored him.

"Liking something before doesn't

mean I'll like it forever. People can change course even in love, let alone with a breakfast," I pushed the container back to Grant.

"Wait," Grant seemed lost for words, "then what do you want to eat? Just tell me, and I'll have... I'll have someone get it for you."

He must have been tasked with making sure I ate. If I didn't eat, he wouldn't be able to report back satisfactorily.

"I fancy some hot sauce with pancakes," I said, reminiscing about a dish my host in Galaxy Harbor once made for me. It was delicious, though quite spicy.

Grant looked utterly perplexed. "What? What kind of hot sauce?"

It was a local delicacy; his ignorance wasn't surprising, but Ernest would know.

"See, you don't even know what I'm talking about, let alone prepare it for me. Better take this back, Mr. Smith. I need to get to work," I said, dismissing him.

Grant looked down at the food

container his face a mix of

l

confusion and helplessness. "Director Hudson, just make do with this for now. I'll arrange for what you want later."

Ernest was trying to reach out to me in his own way, but I couldn't let him.

If he wanted to play the breakup game, I'd play along, leaving him hanging.

"Mr. Smith really can't eat. I've been feeling nauseous these past days, even the sight of food makes me want to throw up," I lied, hoping he'd take the hint and leave with the food.

Grant's eyes widened as he looked at me, then after a few seconds he grabbed the food. "Okay, okay, I'll take it back." Watching him close the door behind him, I swallowed hard.