The door closed behind Oliver with a soft, careful sound. Ann remained seated for several seconds, staring at the empty space he had just occupied. His presence still lingered in the room, the faint scent of his cologne, the warmth where his chair had been. Then footsteps approached again.
A gentle knock. "Mrs. Author?" the nurse called. "Yes," Ann replied quietly. The nurse entered with a small tray. "It's time for your medication." Ann nodded and sat upright. She accepted the pills without hesitation, swallowing them with a sip of water. Then came the injection. She didn't whimper, she didn't shake. It was nothing compared to her pain. "You're doing very well," the nurse said warmly. "Many patients resist at first." Ann gave a faint smile. "I just want peace." "You'll have it," the nurse assured her. "Is there anything else you need?" Ann hesitated.
"Yes," she said softly. "Could you invite my cook, my housekeeper, to see me? Her name is Mary." The nurse paused. "Mary?"
"Yes. She's been with my family for many years. She's… familiar. I think seeing her will help me feel grounded."
The nurse studied her face briefly, then smiled. " Anything else?". "That will be all...for now". Ann replied. "Alright, ma'am. We'll arrange that." "Thank you," Ann murmured. "You're welcome. I'll check on you later." The door closed gently.
Ann exhaled slowly and stood, walking toward the window. Outside, the world moved on. The mental home was very big, activities buzzing . Patients in hospital dresses moving around supervised. Some were chatting with family or friends. Cars passed, people walked, life continued as though nothing had ended. Well, maybe not for them but for Ann, everything had ended. Her parents. Her son. Her peace. Her eyes darkened slightly as Oliver's image returned to her mind. That smile. It had been so quick. So fleeting but she had seen it. Why would anyone smile at a time like this? she wondered. Davis was our child, this is supposed to be a solemn moment. Her fingers tightened around the window frame. "I've never felt this way before," she whispered to herself. "Not around you." The thought unsettled her deeply. "I'll wait for Mary," Ann said softly. "She'll help me think clearly." Oliver drove straight to the office. His grip on the steering wheel tightened as traffic slowed. His phone buzzed again, but he ignored it this time. There would be time later.He needed to act quickly.
The building loomed ahead, tall and imposing. The Smith Group headquarters. As he stepped out of the car, a few staff members greeted him with polite nods.
"Good morning, sir." "Good morning."
He nodded back calmly, masking the tension simmering beneath his composed exterior.
Inside the elevator, he adjusted his tie and took a steady breath. This has to be done carefully, he told himself. No mistakes. The conference room was already filling when he arrived. Whispers floated through the air. "Why the sudden meeting?" "Did something happen?" "I heard Mrs. Ann hasn't been in for days." Oliver walked in and took his seat, her seat.
The CEO's chair. A brief silence fell. A few heads turned. Eyes exchanged glances.
Someone coughed awkwardly but no one said a word. Oliver cleared his throat."Thank you all for coming on such short notice," he began. His voice was calm. Controlled. "I regret to inform you that following recent unfortunate events, my wife, Mrs. Ann Author, is experiencing psychological distress." The room erupted
"What?" someone gasped. "Psychological distress?" another echoed. "Is she alright?" a man asked anxiously. Oliver raised a hand gently. "Please. Let me finish." The murmuring died down, though tension remained thick in the air.
"She has been admitted into a mental health facility for professional care," Oliver continued. "This decision was made in her best interest." A man at the far end leaned forward. "Are you saying Mrs. Ann is… mentally unstable?" Oliver nodded slowly, his face solemn. "Yes." The room buzzed again. "Mad?" a woman asked bluntly, unable to contain herself. "Sir, are you saying Mrs. Ann is mad?"
Oliver looked at her with practiced sadness. "I'm afraid so."A stunned silence followed.
"That can't be right," someone muttered. "She was fine." "She just lost her parents and child," another said. "Who wouldn't grieve?"Oliver clasped his hands together. "Exactly. The trauma has been overwhelming."He sighed heavily.
"For now, I will be overseeing company affairs until she recovers." A man stood. "Sir, with all due respect, Mrs. Ann is the rightful CEO." Oliver nodded. "Yes. I am going through so much myself but she asked me to do this, for her, for her parents and I assure you, this is temporary."
A woman asked cautiously, "Can we visit her? Or send messages?" Oliver shook his head. "The hospital strongly advised against it. Any contact could trigger painful memories and worsen her condition." "So we're not allowed to see her at all?" someone asked. "For now, no," Oliver replied firmly. "We must respect the doctors' instructions."A hush fell. "I trust everyone understands the sensitivity of this matter," Oliver concluded. "Let us pray for her speedy recovery." He stood.
"This meeting is adjourned." As he walked out, conversations erupted behind him but he didn't look back. In the hallway, his lips curved into a slow, satisfied smile. No one noticed. Back at the hospital, Ann sat quietly on her bed, staring at the door, waiting for Mary. If she gets her invitation, then she will come.
She always did. Her thoughts drifted again to Oliver. Why didn't you answer that call immediately? she wondered. Why did you smile? She shook her head. "Don't do this".
"No," she whispered. "You're tired. You're grieving. Don't imagine things."
Still, the feeling refused to leave.
Somewhere far away, a door had just been closed. And Ann didn't know yet but the world was already being reshaped without her.