The Slap That End 18 Years novel Chapter 7

**Inside the Fading Emerald Shadows Quiet Storms by Livia T. Rynn**

The team outing had finally drawn to a close, and as I stepped out of the office building, the evening air felt fresh against my skin. Just as I reached my doorstep, an HR colleague pulled up beside me, offering a polite wave before driving away.

As soon as I walked into the house, my mother’s anxious gaze landed on my injured knee, and her expression shifted from mild concern to full-blown panic. “What happened to you?” she exclaimed, her voice laced with worry. Without waiting for an answer, she insisted on taking me to the hospital for a check-up, her maternal instincts kicking in fiercely.

Despite my attempts to reason with her, I found myself sitting in the sterile waiting area of the nearest general hospital that very evening. The place was eerily quiet, save for a solitary figure occupying a corner seat.

“Hey, Lucille,” Charlic greeted, looking up from his spot. Under the harsh fluorescent lights of the hospital, his eyes sparkled with an unexpected brightness, almost as if they were defying the gloom of the surroundings.

I couldn’t help but notice the thick bandages wrapped around his knee, dark red stains already seeping through the layers, a stark contrast to his otherwise composed demeanor.

“What… happened to you?” I asked, my brow furrowing in concern.

He followed my gaze, and a grin broke across his face, completely at odds with the situation. “It’s nothing. Just a little fender bender today,” he replied, his tone so nonchalant that it felt like he was discussing the weather rather than a serious injury.

As a nurse wheeled a medicine cart past us, I caught snippets of her muttering, “He needed eight stitches in his knee and still calls it ‘nothing’…”

I watched as Charlie’s ears turned a shade of pink, clearly embarrassed, and he quickly shifted the conversation. “You look a bit pale. Is your blood sugar low again?”

With a flourish, he produced a piece of candy from his coat pocket, as if it were a magic trick. “Strawberry. I heard you like these.”

I hesitated for just a moment, but the temptation was too great. I nodded and accepted the candy, feeling a warmth spread through me.

In the days that followed, our paths kept crossing at the hospital—he was there for his regular bandage changes, while I made my rounds for blood sugar check-ups.

On rainy days, he would limp alongside me, sharing his umbrella as we made our way to my car, a gentle protector in the midst of the storm.

It was amusing to think that this debate champion, known for his sharp words that could slice through arguments, had such a tender side.

One afternoon, sunlight poured through the hospital windows, casting warm rays that danced on Charlie’s flushed cheeks as he sat on the treatment bed, fiddling with a loose thread on his bandage.

“Lucille,” he began, his voice softer than usual, “I think we’d make a great pair. We’re both single. Have you ever considered dating me?”

The medical report slipped from my fingers, fluttering to the floor like a fallen leaf. “Sorry, I…” I stammered, caught off guard.

“No need to rush your answer,” he said, bending down to retrieve the papers, his face showing no signs of discomfort from his injury. “I can wait.”

A week later, I started noticing Charlie waiting outside my office, his presence becoming a familiar sight.

15:37 Tue, Nov 25 TG.

**Chapter 7**

The breakroom gossip was reaching new heights of absurdity.

During lunch, a close coworker cornered me in the restroom, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Is it true Charlie has an eight-pack?”

“I have no idea,” I replied honestly, though my heart raced at the thought.

“Oh, come on! Don’t play coy with me!” She shook my shoulders playfully, her excitement palpable. “When he brought flowers yesterday, his shirt was so tight that our receptionist totally saw his V-line!”

Peeking through the glass door, I caught sight of Charlie bent over, trying to fix my jammed drawer.

With every movement, his neatly tucked shirt rode up just enough to reveal a tantalizing glimpse of his toned waist.

It was hard to concentrate, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was showing off on purpose.

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