Daniel and Anna had just pulled up in front of the mansion when Daniel’s phone rang again. He glanced at the screen and imdiately recognized the caller.
Henry.
Daniel answered the call with a quiet sigh. "Yes, Henry?"
"Boss, the foreign delegates have arrived," Henry said, his tone slightly uneasy. "They’re requesting to et you now."
Daniel frowned slightly, his hand tightening on the steering wheel. The eting had been scheduled for the next day, and his entire schedule had been arranged around it.
"Now?" he asked.
"Yes. Apparently they want to travel back tonight. They said it would be easier if the eting happened imdiately."
Daniel leaned back in his seat for a second, considering it. The client was important—one of the biggest international investors his company had been negotiating with for months. Delaying them could risk the entire contract.
"Alright," Daniel finally said. "I’ll be there."
He ended the call and turned toward Anna.
"You’re leaving again?" she asked softly.
There was disappointnt in her voice, and Daniel felt a small ache in his chest hearing it.
It had taken him a long ti to change his work habits. Not long ago, he had been the kind of man who spent nights at the office and rarely ca ho before midnight. But things had changed since Anna had co into his life.
He had tried to be better.
To be present.
But sotis work still found its way back into his evenings.
"It’s just a quick eting," Daniel said gently. "They want to return tonight, so they requested to et now."
Anna nodded slowly even though she clearly didn’t like the idea.
"I’ll wrap it up quickly," Daniel promised. "And I’ll co straight back."
Before she could reply, he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
"Don’t wait up too late."
Anna forced a small smile and stepped out of the car.
"Drive safe."
"I always do."
The car pulled away from the mansion gates, leaving Anna standing in the driveway for a mont longer than necessary. She watched the car disappear beyond the tall iron gates before finally turning around.
Inside the house, the warm lights and quiet halls felt strangely empty.
"Mada, should I prepare the food for you and Mast—"
Mariam stopped mid-sentence when she noticed Anna had co in alone.
"Daniel had to go for a eting," Anna explained softly.
"Oh."
Mariam nodded with understanding.
"Shall I prepare dinner?"
Anna hesitated for a mont before answering.
"Yes... please send it to my room."
She offered the housekeeper a small tired smile before walking upstairs.
The large bedroom felt unusually quiet when she entered. Normally Daniel’s presence filled the space with warmth, his deep voice echoing through the room as he spoke about his day or teased her for worrying too much.
Tonight the silence felt heavier.
Anna sat on the edge of the bed and exhaled slowly.
Sothing about this sudden eting made her uneasy, though she couldn’t explain why.
Maybe it was just the disappointnt of losing the evening they had planned together.
Or maybe it was simply the strange feeling that lingered in her chest.
She shook the thought away.
Daniel had handled bigger things than a last-minute eting.
He would be fine.
***
anwhile, Daniel’s car sped through the city streets toward the eting venue.
The night traffic was lighter than usual, and within thirty minutes he arrived at the luxury hotel where the delegates were staying.
Henry was already waiting in the lobby.
"Boss."
"Let’s get this done quickly," Daniel said as they walked toward the private conference room.
The eting itself was surprisingly smooth.
Mr. Morris, the foreign delegate, turned out to be a friendly middle-aged man with a warm personality. The discussions moved quickly, and within an hour they had finalized the agreents that had taken months to negotiate.
"I once again apologize for the inconvenience, Mr. Clafford," Mr. Morris said as they stood up from the table. "But I need to return ho to attend my son’s birthday."
Daniel smiled.
"Family always cos first, Mr. Morris. I’m sure you’ll make it on ti."
The n shook hands firmly.
"Looking forward to working with you."
"Likewise."
With that, Daniel and Henry escorted him to the elevator and bid him goodbye.
As the doors closed, Henry finally relaxed.
"That went better than expected."
Daniel chuckled lightly.
"It usually does when both sides want the sa thing."
They walked back toward the parking area together.
"Henry," Daniel said as he handed him a folder. "Keep these docunts with you and give them to tomorrow at the office."
"Alright, boss."
"And get so rest."
Henry nodded.
"You too."
The two parted ways, and Daniel walked toward his car alone.
The night air was cool, carrying the distant sounds of traffic and the soft hum of the city.
Daniel slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine.
For a mont he checked his phone.
A ssage from Anna sat unread.
Did the eting go well?
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
He quickly typed a reply.
Yes. Heading ho now.
He placed the phone aside and pulled out of the parking lot.
The roads were quieter now as the city slowly drifted toward midnight. Streetlights stretched across the asphalt in long golden lines while the buildings passed by in silent shadows.
Daniel leaned back slightly as he drove.
His mind drifted to Anna.
He imagined her waiting in their room, probably pretending not to worry while secretly glancing at the door every few minutes.
The thought made him smile again.
"I should bring sothing for her," he murmured to himself.
He slowed slightly when he noticed a small bakery still open on the corner ahead.
But just as he prepared to turn—
A pair of blinding headlights suddenly appeared from the side street.
Daniel’s eyes widened.
The vehicle was coming far too fast.
Before he could react the loud screech of tires ripped through the quiet night. And then—
CRASH.
The violent impact slamd into the side of Daniel’s car with brutal force.
tal twisted. Glass shattered. The world spun violently around him as the car was thrown across the road.
For a split second everything beca silent, until the vehicle slamd into the divider with a thunderous crash.
The airbag exploded open in front of Daniel as his head snapped back against the seat, pain flashing through his body.
The sll of smoke and burnt rubber filled the air.
Outside, the other vehicle skidded to a stop several ters away.
Daniel tried to move, but his body refused to respond.
His vision blurred as distant sounds slowly returned—the faint echo of honking cars, the shouts of people rushing toward the accident.
Sowhere in the haze, a single thought flickered through his mind.
Anna.
His hand twitched weakly toward the phone that had fallen onto the passenger seat.
But before he could reach it—darkness swallowed everything.
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