Page 133 of Blue Gold

I forced a smile.

“Never been better.”

My lie was as clear to her as it was to me, and yet, it didn’t stop any of us from moving on with our day. After all, I didn’t have the privilege of stopping and crying, as I always knew this moment would come. And now, there was only one thing left to do⁠—

Go and see Elliot.

Elliot

My muscles ached, and even though I’d placed a blanket on the floor, my spine still hurt from the friction. “One more set,” I panted, out of breath, because even after one hour of stretching and four hundred sit-ups, I still hadn’t sweated enough.

At the last sit-up, my body shuddered, and I plunked down, a grunt leaving me once my back hit the floor. With my hand placed on my abs, I slowly moved it to my ribs, feeling the bones sticking out. I panted way more than I should have for such a simple workout, which was embarrassing. But it was better than nothing.

Moving into a sitting position, I tried to get up, but the second I stepped on my right foot, a sharp pain shot through me, and I slumped back down.

“F-fuck.” Tears gathered in my eyes, and I bit my bottom lip to overcome the burning pain in my ankle. I hoped that in the morning, the pain would subside but it was ten times worse. And to top it all off, my horrible fall played on repeat in my head. By now, I was probably the industry joke, and it was only a matter of time before Vito would call to fire me.

No. No. No. I wouldn’t allow it.

Taking a deep breath, I placed my hands on the bed that was right next to me and used it for support as I moved to sit on it.

Halfway there.

Another deep breath, and I pushed up, trying to stand only on my left leg.

That’s a start.

After I stabilized myself, I looked at the bathroom and calculated how many steps it would take me to get there. Walking was a lot easier when Daniel was here for me to lean on, but currently, all alone after he’d left for work, I had no other choice. Limping, I slowly made my way toward the bathroom, panting and wheezing like some pig. I didn’t even break my ankle, only sprained it, and it hurt so damn much.

By the time I reached the bathroom, my ankle felt like it was about to explode, and so did my lungs, but I ignored it all and pulled the scale from the cabinet. Clenching the sink for support, I first placed my left foot on the scale. “F-fuck,” I cried as I applied weight to my right foot. Breathing through my nose, I adjusted to the pain before letting go of the sink. My legs wobbled as I stood on the scale, waiting for the display to come up, but I had to endure it.

“No, no, no.” My heart sank when I saw I’d gained one pound, and I quickly got off the scale. But what did I expect? Lazing in bed all morning, no wonder I’d gained weight. Looking up at the mirror, I was horrified at my reflection—I was too big, way too big. At this pace, I’d lose my job, and if that were to happen, what would Daniel say? How would he look at me if I failed in that, too? Everything I’d worked so hard to achieve was starting to slip between my fingers, and I was losing control.

Understanding I had no other choice, I left the scale on the floor and limped toward the closet. It was supposed to be such a short walk, only a few meters away, and yet with a leg I could hardly step on, the distance was immeasurable.

Going for a run wouldn’t only help me keep lean, but it would clear my mind from all those thoughts—as it always did. Afterward, I’d probably be too tired to even imagine Daniel leaving me, right?

After a little bit of struggle, I was able to put on my running shorts and a shirt. Now down to my socks and shoes, I took a deep breath. I had no problem with my left foot, but when I tried sliding the sock on my right foot, the immense pain made me scream. My ankle was swollen, and the slightest shift felt like someone had struck it with a hammer. Still, I had to go out for my jog, so I bit my lips and tried again. Tears clogged my vision as I slowly slipped it over my toes and up my heel. My breath hitched as I made small pauses, and I sobbed through the pain until I managed to put it on. My lips curled into a weak smile of victory, and now it was time for the shoe⁠—

“Elliot?”

I looked up in surprise to see Daniel standing at the entrance to the closet, a deep crease on his forehead.

“O-oh, you’re home early,” I said, a smile on my face, while still holding my shoe.

“I’m here to take you to the doctor.”

That’s right, I had an appointment for my leg.

“What on earth are you doing?”

Looking around me, I saw the mess I’d left behind. “Oh, I… I’m sorry. I’ll clean it up.”

“Who cares about the damn clothes.” He crouched in front of me and slipped the shoe out of my hand. “You’re supposed to be resting.”

I jerked my head back. “I want to go for a run.”

“A run?” He grimaced. “What are you talking about? Come, we’ll get you back to bed.” He then wrapped his arm around my waist and helped me up.