Adoella,

I don’t know if this letter will ever reach your hands. I have written so many to you that I sometimes wonder if paper knows you better than I do.

I have been doing well at the hospital. The nurses are kind. They have appointed a young man to care for your old husband, and Mikhael comes here from time to time to provide support when he has no relation to us. The only thing that is missing is you and Mingxi.

I might seem selfish, but I sometimes feel that if you could overcome your distaste for hospitals and meet me once while I am still admitted here, it would cure whatever disease I am carrying. Maybe if I were more bold, a kiss would be enough. But that would be more than I could ask for, right?

How is our son? Is he still as mischievous as before? Maybe I shouldn’t say that. He is not a child anymore. He must be growing up to be a wonderful man, a much better man than I am. Are you going to his swim matches? I feel a little upset whenever I think that I can’t watch him, but if you are going, it helps me feel that I am there as well, supporting and motivating our son.

I am sorry, Adoella. I am sorry that I couldn’t be a good husband, father, or a better human to you and Mingxi. I am stuck here in a hospital, being nothing but a burden to our family. I promise I will get better, and when I do, I will shower you with love and we will find a home in each other once again.

-Qiang

𖤓

I hold the letter close, taking a long breath and inhaling the crisp scent of the paper. If only he could remember me, then he wouldn’t feel so lonely. Then maybe I could be by his side as…someone.

“I shouldn’t have read it,” I mutter, folding the letter and sliding it back into the envelope. Just then, the elevator dings, and I think it’s Jasmine and Jasper. I straighten from my cubicle, only to find that I’m wrong.

A man stands there instead, framed by the morning sunlight pouring through the windows. He wears a light green shirt and black pants, a contrast to my black shirt and gray pants. His pale skin and dark brown hair catches the light, but it’s his grey eyes that makes me confused, almost claiming the sun itself as he steps closer.

What is someone else doing at the company on a Sunday morning?

“Good morning. I am Kayden Reid, the new recruit to the marketing team.” He extends his hand toward me. I stare at it for a second before taking it, matching his grip with a firm one of my own. 

“Mikhael Lee. Marketing manager. Were you sent here by someone?” He doesn’t answer. His eyes are fixed on our joined hands. When I try to pull mine back, his grip tightens momentarily before he releases me and looks up with a polite smile.

“Yes. Alvin sent me. He said the manager might be here today. He told me to make an early impression.” He glances around, probably searching for a chair. I slide mine forward.

“Sit here. I will grab another one from the nearest cubicle.”

As I turn away, I catch a glimpse of a smile on his face. It looks…strange. I shake my head. I worked all night, fatigue must be catching up to me and imagining things. When I return with another chair, he is staring at my closed laptop. I clear my throat. He looks up, offering a shy smile. 

New recruit, probably filled with nerves.

“So, Kayden. Have you heard anything about this company?” I cross one leg over the other and give him a small, encouraging smile.

He straightens in the chair, fingers resting on his knees, “Equinox Financial has a reputation for being…strategic,” he begins. “Not the loudest firm in the market, but one of the most stable. Strong client retention. Conservative campaigns. Very data driven.” That is standard. Anyone could pull that from the website. He continues. “I heard the marketing department went through a major shift two years ago. Rebranding. Digital expansion. The numbers apparently doubled within the first year.” I nod. That part is not public information. At least not in detail.

“And?” I prompt.

“And most of that shift was led by you.” His eyes don’t waver from mine. “I read a few case studies. Anonymous internal references. A campaign that repositioned Equinox from traditional wealth preservation to adaptive portfolio strategy for younger investors. That was your framework, right?”

“That information is not exactly advertised,” I say.

He smiles again, his eyes glinting with challenge. “People talk. Especially when someone becomes the youngest marketing manager in the company’s history.”

I lean back in my chair. “Flattery will not speed up your probation period.”

“I am not flattering you. I prefer knowing who I am working under.”

Well, he is a smooth talker.

“What else did you hear?” I ask as I open my laptop, and type in the password before pulling up the report that I made with Jasmine and Jasper two nights ago. From the corner of my eyes, he tilts his head slightly, looking curious and also like he knows more than he is saying.

“I heard you are meticulous. That you don’t tolerate inefficiency. That you rarely take days off.” His gaze flickers toward the laptop. “Even on Sundays.”

“That is called responsibility.”

“I also heard,” he continues, lowering his voice slightly. “that Equinox trusts you with accounts most managers twice your age are not cleared for.” 

That makes me pause. “Who told you that?”

He shrugs. “Let us just say I did my research before accepting the offer.”

“So you joined Equinox because of its stability?” I ask, finally looking at him but his eyes are already on me. He holds my gaze before answering.

“I joined because I was curious.”

“About the company?”

“About the manager.”

A faint chill crawls down my spine, but I ignore it. He doesn’t feel like the usual recruits I have met before. That difference could be useful in the long term.

“Did you bring any documents with you?” I ask.

“Ah, sorry. Alvin said I didn't need to bring anything. I hope that isn’t troubling.”

“No worries. Whenever you have time, send me your portfolio. For now, read this report so you understand the topic for today.”

I turn the laptop toward him and am about to stand when he speaks again. “Is anyone else joining us?”

“Yes. There are two more colleagues you will be introduced to. They are running late, I believe.” For a second, something like disappointment flickers across his face but just as quickly, he lowers his gaze to the screen and begins reading.

I walk away toward the break room, convincing myself that I am imagining things. The office is quiet in the Sunday morning light as I prepare a cup of black coffee. I pour the coffee into two paper cups once it is ready.

Kayden. Eccentric would be the polite word for him. Is he normally like this with others, or is it just me? He acts as if he already knows me, yet I am certain I have never seen him before.

I finish my own cup, toss it into the nearby trash can, and pick up the second one for him. As I step out of the break room and approach the cubicle, I freeze. Kayden’s fingers are sliding the letter out of the envelope.

I move before I think. I set the cup down on the desk and grab the envelope from his hands. Strangely, he doesn’t resist. He only looks up at me once I have taken it back. Our faces are closer than I realize, and his ears turn red, but my focus is entirely on the paper. It doesn’t look unfolded.

“Mr. Lee?” he says quietly.

“Don’t touch the envelope. It is personal.” I step past him and slide it into the top drawer of my desk. “Also, address me as Mikhael. Everyone on the team does. You don’t have to be different.” He averts his gaze, and I notice his ears are still red. “Are you feeling hot?” I ask, confused.

“No, no. It is something else.” He smiles and gestures toward the cup. “Is that for me?”

“I thought you might want coffee before the meeting. It helps to stay awake.”

He takes a sip, nodding in appreciation, while I pull a chair beside him and glance at the report on the screen.

“You read all of it?”

“Yes,” he replies. “It is about repositioning Equinox Financial’s alliance strategy, right? Instead of waiting for referrals, we approach our allied firms directly with co-managed portfolio proposals. Structured funds, risk adjusted investment plans, retirement assets, that sort of thing. We highlight our stable performance history and offer shared client acquisition benefits. It is about making them see us as long term strategic partners rather than just a financial service provider.”

I study him for a moment, then nod. “That is the general idea.”

“By the way,” he continues casually, “who was the letter for? A lover, perhaps?”

“Nothing like that. You don’t need to concern yourself with it.”

I turn to the keyboard and begin opening the presentation slides before he can press further. The elevator doors slide open behind us, followed by a loud shout that makes me rub my temple. Kayden and I stand and turn toward the sound.

“Morning, Equinox!!” Jasper’s voice booms across the entire eighth floor as if he owns it. He strides out of the elevator like it is a runway, moving with confidence, almost dancing. Jasmine walks beside him, carrying both of their bags, because of course she is.

“Jasper, behave yourself,” I warn, but he is already in front of me. He presses his index finger lightly against my lips and extends his other hand expectantly. 

“Your phone.” He grins, clearly hoping to check something. I give him a flat look and keep my hands to myself.

Jasmine steps in before he can argue. She taps my arm and gestures for me to bend down. I lean toward her, and she fixes a few strands of my hair that must have fallen out of place.

“Thanks, Jaz.”

She responds with a thumbs up before her gaze shifts past me. Jasper’s expression changes too, curiosity replacing whatever morning energy he is bringing. I clear my throat and step aside.

“Jasper, Jasmine. Meet Kayden Reid. He is a new recruit joining the marketing team.”

Jasper straightens. “Jasper Darras. Social media strategist. I handle online campaigns, brand voice.”

Jasmine rolls her eyes but doesn’t talk, so Jasper does it for her. “She is Jasmine Darras, my twin sister. Our data analyst. She handles projections, audience metrics, and financial modeling support for our marketing proposals.”

Kayden smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Kayden Reid. It is a pleasure to meet you both,” he says.

It will take time for him to get used to Jasper’s antics and Jasmine’s quiet nature, but that is his responsibility. He seemed relaxed enough around me earlier. 

Jasper and Jasmine shift their attention back to me and close in on either side as we walk toward the conference room. I carry my laptop under one arm. I glance over my shoulder. Kayden follows a few steps behind us. He is frowning. The moment our eyes meet, the frown disappears. He flashes me a bright, effortless smile. 

“Just curious,” Jasper begins, clearly not curious at all but he can’t keep quiet, “when did you sleep last night?” He leans closer. “Actually, don’t answer. Your dark circles are speaking for itself. Better question, when did you even get here?”

“Seven in the morning,” I reply. “After my run around the city and exercising at home from four.”

Jasper gasps, “Mikey! Do you not get back from the restaurant at three or four in the morning?”

“Restaurant?” Kayden’s voice comes from behind us, his voice inquisitive.

I shake my head. “You don’t need to know.”

“Of course he does,” Jasper protests, “So, our manager—,” he makes air quotes around the word but before he can continue, Jasmine clamps her hand over his mouth.

We reach the conference room just as Jasper struggles under her grip, mumbling something unintelligible. Kayden’s gaze lingers on me, unreadable but I focus on what I came here for: the meeting.