The Boss Wants Me Back

Darian did not return to the family quarters until the pale light of dawn filtered through the estate windows. When he finally stepped inside, he launched into explanation as though eager to justify every move.

“Jesse burned with fever the entire night. The heat would not leave him.”

Jesse—the child of Selara. The name felt foreign to me, like a shadow passing through a territory I had never walked.

“Is he well now?” I asked evenly after a brief nod. “Why didn’t you stay longer? It must have been difficult for Selara to manage alone.”

He paused while unfastening his coat, a flash of irritation crossing his features. “Are you mocking me again?” he said, letting out a long, heavy breath. Whether the exhaustion was genuine or a performance, I could not tell. “I did not sleep all night. I am drained.”

“Then rest,” I replied calmly. “I am leaving for the physician’s quarters.”

I turned to gather my satchel.

“Liora…” He reached for my wrist.

“What is it?”

“We will mark our anniversary another time,” he murmured. “I promise.”

A faint smile touched my lips, though no warmth lived behind it. “I am not angered.”

He studied me for a moment before drawing me into his arms. The embrace felt hollow, like a vow offered out of obligation rather than choice. He rested his chin lightly against my hair. “There’s a gathering with the company this coming weekend,” he said. “Join me.”

Darian’s standing in the family was far higher than mine. He was born into this territory, while I remained only because our union bound me here after graduating from the healer’s circle. His associates and acquaintances regarded me with little interest.

Though they seldom addressed me directly, they often sought my aid for minor maladies, aware of my role in the physician’s hall. In earlier times, I had delivered remedies to Darian whenever he fell ill, yet he never introduced me to his crew as his partner.

Regaining my composure, I said, “I may need to remain at the hall for extra duties that day.”

He tightened his jaw. “Suit yourself.”

I did not attend. Still, I never expected him to bring Selara in my place.

While copying ledgers under the lamplight, my phone began to buzz repeatedly. When I checked it, I discovered I had been added to a group chat about the family gathering.

Images from the event flooded the thread. Many featured Selara laughing among Darian’s associates, fitting in as if she belonged.

In one picture, Darian lifted her into his arms, carrying her across the courtyard as part of a playful game. She clung to him, her cheek pressed against his chest. Had she leaned slightly further, their lips might have met.

The group erupted in praise. They tagged both of them, calling them a perfect pair. Given Darian’s prominence in the family enterprise, everyone rushed to flatter him—one comment after another declaring how well-suited they were.

Since I had been included in the thread, ignoring it would have seemed improper. So I typed two simple words: Well matched. I even added a clapping emoji to blend with the rest.

After sending it, I left the chat and silenced my phone. By the time I finished updating the ledgers, darkness had already settled over the estate.

Later, I retrieved my phone again and saw that Darian had attempted to reach me countless times. His messages stacked one atop another, urgent yet unanswered, filling the quiet night with a presence I no longer wished to feel.