I Took Off My Ring At The Abandoned Station Chapter 07

I Took Off My Ring At The Abandoned Station Chapter 07

It was Nathaniel’s voice. 

I held the phone and said nothing. 

“Abigail, I know you’re listening.” 

His voice was very hoarse. 

I remembered his voice used to be beautiful. 

Now it sounded like a rusted instrument. 

“I signed it,” he said. “Everything you 

wanted, I gave.” 

I was silent. 

“I just wanted to ask–where are you?” 

I hung up. 

Then I blacklisted the number. 

A year later. 

I returned home. 

There was a new project with Apex Solutions 

that required me to handle the negotiations 

in person. 

Chloe Stevens came to pick me up. Seeing me 

at the airport, she was stunned. 

“Ms. Miller, you’ve changed so much.” 

“How so?” 

“I can’t put it into words. Just… you’re a 

completely different person.” 

I smiled: “Maybe I just got a tan.” 

She laughed too. 

The negotiations went smoothly. 

Mr. Sterling from Apex Solutions invited me 

to dinner, and his son, Julian Sterling, was 

there too. 

I had known Julian Sterling for a while. 

The only son of the Apex Solutions CEO, a 

returnee from abroad, working in 

investment. 

I had dealt with him a few times back when I 

was helning Nathaniel make connections 

was helping Nathaniel make connections. 

He was a good person–didn’t talk much, but every word hit the mark. 

During dinner, he sat across from me, dressed in a sharp suit and perfectly poised. 

He poured me a glass of red wine and said: “Abigail, it’s been a long time.” 

“A long time.” 

After dinner, he saw me downstairs. 

It was just the two of us in the elevator. 

He looked at our reflections in the elevator 

doors and suddenly said: “Abigail.” 

I was startled. He had always called me “Ms. 

Miller“; it was the first time he had used my 

name. 

“Yes?” 

“You look even more beautiful than before.” 

The elevator doors opened, and he stepped 

out first, holding the door for me. 

I watched his back for two seconds before 

following. 

At the hotel entrance, he opened the car door 

for me. 

“Abigail,” he said, “next time you’re back, let me buy you dinner.” 

“Alright.” 

As the car drove away, I saw him through the rearview mirror, still standing at the hotel entrance, watching me go. 

I turned back and looked ahead. 

Chloe Stevens whispered beside me: “Ms. 

Miller, do you think Mr. Sterling is interested in you?” 

“Don’t be silly.” 

“I’m not. The way he looks at you is different 

from how he looks at a client.” 

On my third day back, I went to visit 

Grandma Dorothy. 

I bought a bouquet of white lilies and placed 

them at her grave. 

“Grandma,” I said, “I’m here to see you.” 

“Grandma, I’m sorry. I couldn’t make it back when you passed.” 

My tears fell. 

“But Grandma, I’m doing very well now. Really. Don’t worry about me.” 

I knelt by the headstone and pressed my face 

against the cool stone. 

“Grandma, you told me not to wrong myself. 

I’m not doing that anymore. I’ve moved on.” 

“Grandma, I miss you.” 

I sat there for a long time, until the sun. 

began to set and the cemetery keeper came to remind me they were closing. 

“Grandma, I’m going. I’ll come see you 

again.” 

I turned and walked a few steps, then looked 

back once more. 

The setting sun shone on the headstone, 

giving Grandma’s photo a golden glow. 

She was still smiling. 

I smiled back, turned, and left. 

When I got back from the cemetery, Chloe 

Stevens told me Nathaniel had been to the 

company. 

“Again?” I asked. 

“Yeah. He didn’t wait this time, just asked if 

you were in. I said no, and he left.” 

“He’s not the same as before,” Chloe 

hesitated, “he’s lost a lot of weight, he doesn’t look… good.” 

I said nothing. 

“Ms. Miller, do you want to-” 

“No.” 

Chloe went silent. 

I went back to my office, sat in my chair, and looked at the sky. The sky was blue, the clouds were white, and a few birds flew by. 

I picked up my phone and opened my 

contacts. 

Nathaniel’s name was still there. 

I stared at that name for a very long time. 

Then I deleted it.