I wasn’t aware that working at a lab would be so draining and stressful. I sigh heavily as I review the lab reports.

“My, my.” I turn around to see Thea, my lab mate. She’s also probably reviewing her report.

I shake my head. “I can’t finish this goddamn report; I need a fucking sleep.”

She glancedmy way, hands on her hip. “Me too, babe. But we need to. And I promise you after this? We’re going to have a night out. Girls only! ”

A party.

Since when had I last attended a party?

Two months? Three months? I have no idea.

Maybe Thea’s right. We need to loosen up a bit. I deserve to have fun for at least a while.

I’m so preoccupied with everything—the lab reports, my family, my personal issues—I forgot to act my age.

“Fine. Maybe this Friday? We really need to loosen up. Working here almost 24 hours a day, not getting enough sleep, not being at home for months. I think we aged a bit,” I said, chuckling.

She walks up to me and holds my hand like I’m some saint she needs to praise.

“Oh, babe. Deena. I agree with you; we forgot how to loosen up because of the workloads. We haven’t had any time to find a hottie boyfriend either,” she said with an exaggerated womanly voice.

“Since when do you show an interest in getting a boyfriend? I thought you were busy?” I said, emphasizing the words she exactly said a few months ago.

”Uh—just now? ” She snorted, and I mimicked her action.

Thea clapped her hands and put her arms around my shoulder and tapped my back.

“Okay, let’s get back to work.”

I nod and proceed to work on the lab reports.

It’s already 8:00 PM when we finished the reports. I stretched my arms out and breathed heavily.

“Finally.”

As I cleaned up my table and things, my phone suddenly rang. I saw Dad’s name and took the call.

“Yes, Dad? ”

He didn’t respond right away, so I waited. After a few seconds I heard him sigh from the other line.

“Deenarys…” he said coldly, without any humor in his voice.

I stopped cleaning up. And I straightened up my body as I waited for him to speak up. He rarely uses my full name. Not unless…

“Is…there something wrong, Dad? ” I said.

“Come home. We need to talk.” I don’t know. But the way he said it made my heartbeat run rapidly. I feel the sweat forming on my forehead and in my palm.

”When do you want me to come home?

“Now,” he said seriously. “I’ll send a private plane for you; pack up your things. Be quick, dear.” And with that…he hangs up.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and that made me jump a bit. I glanced over it and almost forgot that I wasn’t alone in the lab.

“Are you okay, babe?” Thea asks worriedly.

I nodded and smiled widely. “Yeah, I’m fine. And oh—by the way. I need a rain check for our upcoming party. I need to fly back to New York.”

Her eyes widened.

“W-Wait—what? But…I had already booked a table for us.” She pouted and held my arm, giving me a sad puppy-eyed look. That wouldn’t affect me now.

“I’m sorry, babe. Maybe next time?”

She closed her eyes and sighed heavily. “Fine. But promise the first time you come back we will go.”

I chuckled lightly and nodded in agreement.

“I promise….”

….

By 1:00 in the morning, the plane to New York touched the ground. I can’t believe I’m back here again after months of being MIA and so fucking busy with the lab.

I stepped down the stairs of the plane and I felt the morning breeze of New York. It was refreshing. I haven’t felt so refreshed for a long time, since the air from Chicago isn’t as refreshing as that.

I almost had a heart attack when someone jumped in and hugged me tightly.

"Oh my! Deena! Oh, how I've missed you, my best friend!"

I rolled my eyes as I recognized whose voice is that was from. Of course.

"Kaia! God! Woman...." I tapped his back to signal her to release me because she hugged me so tightly I had a hard time breathing.

She released me and I saw her crying. She sniffs, and I gave her a "are you serious" look.

"I hate you! You didn't even bother to contact me! You have been MIA for MONTHS, Deena! Months!"

I looked at her apologetically. "I know, and I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, I swear. I was just...so busy that I forgot," I said guilty.

This is what that work did for me. I forgot everyone. I forgot that they exist. I completely abandoned them, but I didn't regret it.

They know how much I love where I am now. And I know they understand me. They know me as the most ambitious girl they know. Always sought for greater things.

I looked at her suspiciously.

"Where do you get the information about me coming home?" I raised an eyebrow at her.

She laughed awkwardly and scratched the back of her hair. Oh, how much I know that action means.

"I swear to God, Kaia. "If you don't say it I will end our 20-year friendship!" I warned her.

She panicked. "Okay okay." Fine! Your little sister called me earlier and said that you were coming home, so I decided to welcome you personally..." She smiles widely.

I shook my head and walked past her.

"Hey!" She called out and ran to match my walk.

"I'm tired, Kaia. We need to postpone this interrogation for tonight. I need to save up some energy for tomorrow."

"Why did you come home anyway?" She asks.

"Dad asked me to. As if I had a choice."

She nods. "And oh–by the way." You are invited."

My brows knitted and stopped walking and turned to face her, confusion etched on my face. "Invited to what?" I raised an eyebrow, having no idea what she was saying.

"Your sister didn't tell you?!"

I didn't respond to her as I shrugged and was still confused as hell.

"I'm getting married!"

I burst out laughing and I swear I felt the eyes of every person in this airport turn towards me.

"That...that was the funniest joke I have ever heard in my entire life," I said as I wiped my tears from laughing.

Kaia slapped my arm and put her hand on her hips. "I'm not joking! I'm getting married. Duh!"

She raised her ring finger at me and then...there I saw the big diamond ring. So she's not joking. Fuck. My best friend is really getting married. The question is...

"So who's the unlucky man?"

"His name is Pierre. I will introduce you both next time. "You should come to our engagement party next weekend." She winks at me and her phone rangs. She didn't hesitate to answer it.

She gestured for me and I nodded and waited for her to finish her call. And when she came back to me, she said that she needed to go because her "fiancé" was looking for her.

"I'll text you," I said as she kissed my cheeks and said goodbye.

I watched her and began to walk too.

After that short reunion with Kaia, I felt how exhausted my body was. The sudden flight, the stress. It's weighing down on me.

I reached for the door. Our car is outside already, waiting for me.

The bodyguard that I didn't know opened the back door of the car and waited for me to hop in.

"Welcome back, Miss Bianchi." He said stoically, still holding the card door for me.

"Thank you..." I got into the car and settled in my seat as I waited for the bodyguard to get inside and drive the car.