Elsa knocked gently on Mr. Liam Daniels' office door.
"Come in," he said as he looked up.
Elsa walked in and approached his table with a composed expression. "I drafted our proposal with the Crystal Group. Can you help me go through it so I can correct any mistakes?" she asked as she handed him the paper.
Mr. Liam collected it and scanned through before placing it on his desk. "Okay, I'll review it and send the corrected version to you via email," he said, looking at her.
"Okay then," she replied and turned to leave.
"Miss Elsa," Liam called out as she was about to leave.
She turned to face him. "Yes, sir?"
"Later today I'm having a simple dinner with some business partners. Can you accompany me? Don't worry, it's just work talk over some food."
Elsa went silent for a moment, then finally spoke up. "Okay then, I'll wait behind after work," she said, leaving before he could say another word.
Liam shook his head and sighed heavily.
Mr. Liam Daniels wasn't a bad boss. He was just the kind of boss who loved everything to be in place. He never took credit for the efforts or hard work of his employees simply because he was in charge. That was why Elsa always got recognition for her accomplishments—Mr. Liam acknowledged those who deserved it. The reason Elsa wasn't fond of him was because he liked getting personal, while Elsa preferred to focus strictly on work.
Liam Daniels was the son of the chairman of K2 Group. Despite having the opportunity to aim for a higher position, he chose to lead the marketing team. People often wondered why, but they eventually concluded it was because the marketing team was the most successful in the company.
Liam was 24 years old and the only heir to his family's business. The fact that he was young and bringing such success to his father's company amazed people. He was a tall, gorgeous man with striking features—some said he got his looks from his mother, while others jokingly claimed he was an angel fallen from the sky.
After work, as planned, Elsa got into Liam's car and they drove silently to the business dinner. When they arrived, it was a fancy restaurant. They entered the reserved room and sat down. Soon, the business partners arrived, and food was served as they discussed work over the meal. Elsa was so engrossed in the conversation that she forgot to take a single bite, only sipping her wine occasionally.
The dinner ended, and the business partners left after exchanging goodbyes and expressing interest in future collaborations. Mr. Liam and Elsa were left alone, having finished their meals.
"So, Miss Williams, I noticed you didn't touch your food. Was it not to your liking?" Liam asked, removing the towel from his lap.
"It's not that, Mr. Liam. I just wasn't very hungry. Besides, I think I wouldn't have paid attention to details if I had been eating," she replied politely.
Liam nodded softly. "Well, that's more like you."
"I think I need to go home now. It's getting late," she said as she checked her watch and prepared to grab her bag.
Liam interrupted. "Wait, Miss Williams. Let me drive you home—you came with me, remember?"
"I don't think that would be necessary, sir. I appreciate your offer, but I'm okay," she replied firmly.
Liam sighed. "Okay, fine. But before you go, I have something for you."
Elsa looked at him curiously.
A waiter entered with a medium-sized strawberry cake lit with a candle. She placed it on the table and left.
Elsa looked at Liam in surprise.
"Happy birthday, Elsa," Liam said with a soft smile.
Elsa was speechless.
"What? How do you know today is my birthday?" she asked as a small, genuine smile escaped her lips.
"You're my employee—it's on your records."
Elsa still wore a surprised expression.
"Well… make a wish and blow out the candles," he said with a wide smile.
A soft laugh escaped Elsa's lips. "I'm not a teenager anymore."
Elsa sighed heavily and closed her eyes. Today being Elsa's birthday also meant it was Mira's birthday. Elsa had stopped celebrating her birthday since high school. As she closed her eyes, memories of Mira flooded her mind. Suddenly, she burst into tears.
Liam, surprised and taken aback, hurriedly handed her a tissue.
"Are you okay? Is something wrong?" he asked, confused by her sudden outburst.
Elsa sobbed uncontrollably as her body trembled. Liam reached out and gently patted her back until she cried herself calm.
After a while, Elsa finally calmed down. The candle had gone out. She wiped her tears and began apologizing.
"I… I'm so sorry, sir. I didn't mean to show my emotions like that," she said.
Liam looked at her with concern. "No, no—it's fine. You don't need to apologize."
Elsa forced a smile. Noticing the candle had gone out, she picked up the lighter on the table and gently lit it again.
Liam smiled, glad she was still willing to make a wish.
She put the lighter down, clasped her hands, and closed her eyes. "I wish I could go back in time and…" she finished the rest silently.
Liam looked at her curiously but didn't want to intrude.
Elsa decided to stay a little longer. The waiter came back and served them slices of cake. Elsa took the first bite, followed by Liam. They began chatting, with Liam doing most of the talking, as Elsa didn't like sharing personal details.
After a while, Liam asked, "Miss Williams, what about you? How's your life outside work?"
Elsa went silent for a moment before replying, "Well, there's nothing special about it. I don't really have a fun life outside work. Work is my fun, and I'm happy doing it."
Liam could hear the loneliness in her tone.
"Hmm… I see. Work shouldn't be everything, Miss Williams. I know this might sound odd coming from your boss, but you should allow yourself to have fun. Don't get so consumed by work that you forget yourself."
Elsa forced a smile. "Of course, I prioritize myself. I don't know how it seems to you."
Liam sighed. "From what I see, Elsa, you're using work to distract yourself from something… right?"
Elsa's tone grew more guarded. "Well, sir, I don't understand what you're talking about, but I hope you stop here. I don't want to talk about my personal life with my boss."
"No, I didn't mean to offend you. I apologize," he said quietly.
Elsa sighed and nodded.
They eventually left the restaurant. Elsa insisted on going home by herself and took a cab while Liam drove off.
In the cab, Elsa got lost in her thoughts about what Liam had said. She brushed it off and turned on her phone, which she always kept off during work. She saw missed calls and texts from her parents.
She opened the first one from her mom:
"Happy birthday, my sweet daughter. I hope you're eating properly. I'll stop by sometime with side dishes. Your father sends his regards and says to call once in a while. You can come home if you feel like it—we're here for you. I know today might be hard, but please push away those thoughts and be happy. We love you so much. Please call us back."
Tears rolled down Elsa's cheeks as she read the message.
Then she saw one from Mira's mom. She hesitated but tapped on it:
"My sweet baby, how have you been? I've been missing you lately. I hope you're doing fine and eating well. Happy birthday. I wish you happiness, at least today. Elsa… I'm surprisingly happy today for the first time on Mira's birthday, so I want you to be happy too. Don't blame yourself—just be happy. Please visit sometime. Mira is waiting. I love you, pumpkin."
Elsa sobbed harder. Then came the final message: a voicemail from Susan, a close high school friend. Susan transferred to their school when they were in junior high, one way or the other she became close friends with Mira and Elsa.
"Hey Elsa…" Susan's voice wavered. "How have you been? Happy birthday, my baby girl. I miss you so much. Please text or call me. Your mom said you moved out. Can I have your new address? I want to visit. If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm still the same old Susan who caused tantrums with you. I love you."
Elsa closed her eyes and cried. She missed everyone, especially Susan—but she couldn't be the same Elsa she was before. Not without Mira.
She sobbed softly until she got home.
Once inside, she took off her coat and sat on the floor beside her bed. The room was silent. She got up and retrieved a dusty box from the top of her wardrobe. It was full of Mira's belongings.
She gently opened it and picked up a hair bow she had gifted Mira in high school. Tears rolled down her face. She pulled out more items, each triggering a flood of memories. Then she saw a photo of Mira. She picked it up, gently rubbed its surface, and sobbed, hugging the picture.
"I miss you so much, Mira. I miss you so much," she whispered.
She placed the picture, hair bow, and an old cellphone of Mira's on her table. These were the only things she'd keep. She returned the rest to the box and put it back in place.
"Happy birthday, Mirabel," she said, looking at the box.
After her night routine, Elsa changed into her nightwear and lay on her bed. She still felt emotional but soon drifted off to sleep.
At around 2:30 AM, her ringtone woke her. She lazily picked up the phone but declined the call. Almost immediately, it rang again. Annoyed, she answered without checking the caller ID.
"Hello," Elsa said sleepily.
There was silence.
"Hellooo?" she repeated.
Just as she was about to hang up, a voice came through, broken and shaky.
"Hel…lo Els…a."
She sat upright, startled. She checked the screen—no caller ID.
"Hello?" she asked again, heart pounding.
"Elsa, please help me! Save me!" the voice cried in fear.
Sleep vanished from her eyes.
"Who is this?" she asked, terrified.
"Elsa, it's me, Mirabel! I'm so scared, please come and get me!!"
Frozen in shock, Elsa threw the phone away and screamed in terror, backing away as her body trembled.
"There's no way… that's Mirabel," she thought. "Because Mirabel is already dead!"