Closer to the Whispers

Misunderstandings and Manipulation

**TW insinuations of pregnancy loss, drug use and drinking**

One week later:

I stepped out of the large skyscraper where the FDA approval was held and exhaled fully, my mask of control falling in a single second. I slumped against the black granite and closed my eyes to refocus my thoughts after the intense meeting.

I got the approval I needed. That was all that mattered. As soon as I walked out of the room, my phone started pinging with various companies eager to work with me and be the first to get their hands on the coveted drugs that would hopefully save many lives and keep my family's status at the same time.

"Long meeting." I ground my teeth and opened my eyes seeing the short girl standing in front of me, her black braids pulled tightly into a bun giving her a no nonsense look.

"Why are you here, Jasmine?" I asked, pushing off the wall lazily and walking towards the parking garage two blocks away. It was freezing, and I normally used a driver for these kinds of things, but I didn't want to deal with people, so I drove myself.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe you are leaving my best friend for absolutely no reason." She snapped cooly, falling into pace beside me. It wasn't a difficult task since I was walking far slower than normal.

"She was going through enough without worrying about me," I said, brushing her off. Her eyebrows rose so high I thought they might go right off her forehead.

"Oh really. Is that what you think?" She asked me, weaving in and out of the random pedestrians that were walking in the downtown area like a true local.

"Yes."

"I don't think you really think that."

I gave a short and cold laugh.

"Oh, like you know me so well, and you know what I'm thinking? You are nothing to me, women, so go back home to your dog and take care of her since you care so much about her." I said quietly, my words precise even though I was barely managing to walk straight. She jumped out in front of me.

She crossed her arms, looking like a giant white polar bear with such a thick and warm jacket on her.

"I think you act like an asshole to protect yourself. I don't think you actually believe any of the insults you tell her."

I tried to walk around her, but she moved in front of me easily.

"What happened that day? You took her to the hospital, and then I came out and saw you in tears talking to some random doctor." I couldn't look at her. I couldn't acknowledge what had happened, and even listening to her talk about it reopened the cut in my chest. I had worked so hard for the last week to bury deep under every substance I could lay my hands on.

The moment the doctor told me there wasn't a heartbeat, I felt like something in me had died. I couldn't move forward; I couldn't wrap my head around how horribly I failed my beautiful, sweet Isabella. I couldn't face her and see the pain I put her through.

"I'm very busy, so if you don't mind," I said lowly, trying to push past her, but she easily pushed me back.

"What are you even fucking on? My dad just texted me that you got approval, and yet you can barely walk. How did you even manage that?" She asked me, surprised, realizing the state I was in.

"I'm a fucking genius, obviously. Now, can you move out of my way?" I asked her coldly.

"No. Actually, you're going to the school and apologizing to Isabella for all the crappy things you have done to her." She told me decisively as if she wasn't just barely above five feet tall.