The Years Between Signing and Seeing novel Chapter 2

At the Baylor Group headquarters, Aaron hung up the phone and entered the spacious office.

“Mr. Baylor,” he reported respectfully, “I just received a call from the manor. They said Mrs. Baylor packed a small bag and left.”

Jamie’s brow furrowed, his eyes cold. “What do you mean, a small bag?”

Aaron paused. “Just a few articles of clothing and her personal documents.”

He then took the signed agreement from his briefcase and placed it on the desk. “Mr. Baylor, here it is. Mrs. Baylor has signed it.”

“And who told you to keep calling her ‘Mrs. Baylor’?” Jamie’s voice was even and almost casual, yet it carried an undeniable authority.

Aaron immediately lowered his head, not daring to say another word.

Jamie set aside his work, picked up the agreement, and scoffed after a quick glance. “She wants nothing? Is she trying to embarrass me?”

She was clearly after his money, so what kind of game was she playing now? Did she want more but was too afraid to ask, so she was pulling this stunt of leaving with nothing, playing hard to get?

Jamie’s rapid-fire questions made beads of sweat form on Aaron’s back. After some hesitation, he ventured, “Mrs. Baylor… I mean, Miss Sterling. I couldn’t reach her by phone today, so I called Martha. She said Miss Sterling went to the hospital for a check-up this morning. When I got there, she was lying in an emergency room bed. A nurse told me she had fainted at the hospital.”

Aaron paused deliberately, watching Jamie’s expression. The hard line of his jaw seemed to soften, but his brow was tightly knitted with confusion and a flicker of concern.

As Jamie read the message, a vein began to throb on his forehead. “Is she in a bigger hurry than I am?”

Aaron added, “Miss Sterling asked me to remind you not to be late.”

Jamie tapped his fingers on the desk. “I’m not blind.”

Aaron swallowed nervously. “I… I was just going to say, that time tomorrow morning is when Ms. Lockwood’s flight lands. You asked me yesterday to remind you to pick her up from the airport.”

Jamie slowly raised his hand, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Then tell Suzie we’ll reschedule for the afternoon. Do I have to teach you how to handle something so simple?”