The Memory Keeper: The Sin In Our Name

S2 Chapter 8: The Jig is Up

Therese raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying my excuse. "Rain, come on. You've been stirring that coffee into oblivion for ten minutes. I know you better than that. What's really going on?"

I hesitated, biting my lip. "It's nothing, Therese. Just work stress, you know?"

"Work stress, my foot!" she shot back, leaning closer. "You're acting weird. Did something happen with Khai?"

Her directness caught me off guard, and for a moment, I considered denying it again. But Therese had this way of seeing right through me. I sighed, lowering my voice. "She came home drunk last night. Like... really drunk. And she was acting strange, saying things that didn't make sense. I don't know, Therese, it felt off."

Therese's expression softened, concern replacing her usual playful demeanor. "Off how? Did she say anything specific?"

I hesitated. "She was murmuring something about Ella in her sleep. Jessica heard it, too. And when I asked Khai about her night, she just brushed it off, saying she was with her dad and some investors. But... I don't know. It's like there's something she's not telling me."

Therese leaned back, crossing her arms. "Ella? As in Ella Robertson?"

I nodded.

Therese let out a low whistle. "That's... complicated. Look, I don't want to jump to conclusions, but maybe you should talk to her about it. Khai's not the type to just spill everything unless you ask."

"I know," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "But what if I'm overthinking? What if it's just in my head?"

Therese reached out, placing a reassuring hand on mine. "Rain, you're not the type to overthink without a reason. Trust your instincts. Talk to Khai. If there's nothing to worry about, she'll tell you. And if there is... well, better to know than to let it fester."

I nodded, feeling a mix of gratitude and unease. "Thanks, Therese. You're right. I'll talk to her."

"Good," she said with a small smile. "And hey, if you need backup, you know I'm just a text away."

We spent the rest of the coffee break chatting about lighter topics, but my mind kept drifting back to Khai. I knew Therese was right-I had to confront her. But the thought of what I might discover filled me with a sense of dread I couldn't shake.

•••
Ella's POV

Sitting across Khai in the Stanton Corporation boardroom, I placed the detailed budget projections and a few graphs for the next six months on the table. I could see she was laser-focused on the documents, her brow furrowed as she analyzed the numbers. Khai always had this intensity about her when she worked, and it was one of the many things I admired-no, loved-about her.

"Looks good," Khai said, flipping through the pages. "But I'll need to run these projections by my team before finalizing."

"Of course," I replied, keeping my tone professional. But my heart was pounding. I wasn't here just to discuss numbers. I needed to talk to her, and I wasn't going to let this moment slip away.

As she made a few notes on the margins of the report, I leaned forward slightly. "Khai," I said softly. Her pen paused mid-stroke, and she glanced up at me.

"Yeah?"

"I wanted to talk about... last night."

Her face remained unreadable, a perfect mask of composure. "Ella, we were both drunk. Let's not make this into something it wasn't."

"But it was something," I pressed, my voice firm but gentle. "Khai, I know you felt it too. That connection between us-it's still there. It's always been there."