However, it didn't matter. It was better than making mistakes over and over again.
Jacob exhaled a smoke ring, which swirled around him. Indeed, smoking helped him calm down and think better.
The hospital was terribly quiet. Only the howling of the wind outside disturbed the peace and silence of the night. Shivering, Jacob surveyed the pale and old walls of the building with a sigh.
Something seemed to be just beginning, but in fact, it was all over. Jacob didn't know this before, but now, he could finally grasp the essence of the matter.
And as a moment of epiphany hit him, he realized that his life was very much like the waters in the lake––calmer and more serene the longer he lived. Although several small waves would surface from time to time, it didn't affect him.
After puffing the last hit of smoke, Jacob rose from his seat and patted his clothes, shaking off the ashes that might have clung onto him.
Then he looked around to make sure there was no one else. He stretched his gaze until at the endless void of the silent hall before turning back to the ward.
He sat on a chair for the whole night and watched after Cindy. Jacob should have warned her from the beginning, but because he knew how stubborn Cindy was, she wouldn't listen to him.
So, he chose not to tell her the truth.
However, he knew it would come to light sooner or later. He could only hope that everyone who deserved to be punished would be sentenced. After all, there were a lot of people involved.
It was not that Jacob wanted to let the matter slide, but that he was afraid that Cindy would get hurt in the process. When he saw her jump into the river, a lot of thoughts surged into his head all at once.
Even a kite with a broken string floated into his mind, certainly a metaphorical symbol of what Cindy's fate could have been. At that time, all he wanted to do was to stop her. But he knew it was an opportunity to mold her into a stronger and more confident woman.
That was why Jacob had the heart to let her jump into the surging water. But, it was all yesterday now. Tomorrow would be a new day, a better one to look forward to. And hopefully, Cindy would wake up feeling prouder and more confident of herself.
Jacob fell asleep on the chair wishing for this. Comforted by a thick down jacket, he didn't mind the cold. The next morning, Cindy opened her eyes and saw Jacob crouched on the chair, fast asleep.
Slowly, she took her quilt and tried to cover him with it when he suddenly winced and woke up.
"Oh, how did I fall asleep?" Jacob rubbed his eyes and looked at Cindy.
"Mr. Jacob, you will catch a cold if you stay here like this all night. I'll be nothing but guilty if that happens," Cindy said in a self-condemned voice, but there was a ghost of a smile in the corner of her eyes.
Deep down, she was very happy to have such an amazing boss. No ordinary employer would do what he did for her. So, at this point, she couldn't help but appreciate him.
"Well, I'm fine. By the way, how are you feeling now?" Although Jacob was concerned and wanted to check her temperature, he chose to maintain a proper distance. After all, it was inappropriate for a man to make physical contact with a woman he barely knew.
"I'm fine, Mr. Jacob. I'll leave the hospital and go back to the company with you. The company's affairs are most important right now. You can't just set aside the issues because of me."
As Cindy spoke, she stood up and put on her shoes.
"Are you really okay? You could have caught a cold from yesterday. You can take the day off and have a rest. There's no need to worry about the company's affairs." Jacob narrowed his eyes slightly, carefully watching her every movement. It seemed she had recovered a lot.
"Yes, Mr. Jacob. I'm really fine. Don't worry," Cindy explained hurriedly and even walked around the ward to prove that she was indeed alright.
After making sure that she had really recovered, Jacob nodded accordingly and stood up. "Let's go. The company is still in chaos. I guess there has been a lot of rumors about it, although it still remains confidential,"
Jacob said before he reached for the doorknob. Then, he glanced at his wristwatch. It was still early, but today would be the beginning of the real showdown.
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