Chapter 75

~ Franklin ~

After a few quiet moments alone with Octavia on the moonlit sand, I checked my phone. It was nearly 10:00 PM.

"Alright, time to abandon ship," I said, pushing myself up.

"No," she groaned playfully. "We don’t have to go yet. We still have time."

"You’ll change your tune the second you start feeling sleepy," I teased, reaching down to pull her to her feet. She chuckled, and we began to gather our things.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out to see an unfamiliar number.

"Yes?" I answered.

"Good evening, Mr. Flemington. Sorry to disturb your night. This is Zebadiah Marshall, an investor from JeffTech and prospective board chairman. I need to discuss something urgent regarding the field trip project."

I glanced at Octavia, who was watching me with a curious tilt of her head. "Right now? Can’t this wait until tomorrow morning?"

"I’m afraid it requires your immediate attention.If you can make it, let’s meet at the Cosmic Restaurant, it is just down the road. I’ll be waiting."

"I’ll be there," I said shortly, ending the call.

"What is it?" Octavia asked cautiously.

"Nothing to worry about. Come on, let me get you back to the suite."

"You aren’t staying?" she asked as we walked.

"I wish I could, but I have a last-minute meeting with the head of the board to go over the project logistics."

"Oh, okay," she said, sounding slightly disappointed. I escorted her back to the safety of our suite, kissed her goodnight, and headed out. Since I’d given Walter the night off after our dinner date, I hailed a taxi to the restaurant.

I reached the Cosmic Restaurant and spotted Zeb Marshall sitting at a corner table. He was one of the more influential members of the board.

"Marshall," I said, approaching the table.

"Mr. Flemington, sorry that you had to come on such short notice," he said, standing to offer a firm handshake. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"It’s fine," I said, waving off the apology as I took a seat. "What was so urgent?"

"I’ve been reviewing the presentations, and I must say, I’m incredibly impressed by the progress between us and JeffTech. That AI platform... it’s more than a tool; it’s a revolution waiting to happen," he began. His tone held approval, but it was layered with a professional scrutiny I’d come to expect from him. "The partnership with JeffTech is ambitious."

"Thank you. We’re positioning the platform for aggressive expansion across North America and Europe. The projections—"

"Yes, I saw the numbers," he cut in. "The targeted growth in Europe and Asia aligns perfectly with our goals to stay ahead of the competition. But more than that, I liked how you balanced the risk. You didn’t just throw money blindly; you gave us a sustainable plan."

I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. "That was the goal. We didn’t want a flashy demo; we wanted a real market edge."

He chuckled. "And you delivered. Like I said, I’m impressed."

"Thank you, Marshall," I nodded, finally relaxing a little.

"My pleasure. I believe a toast is in order." He signaled for a waiter, who promptly brought a bottle of chilled champagne. Two glasses were poured.

"To the future, and to a partnership that will define the next era of innovation," Marshall said, raising his glass.

I raised mine, the clink of crystal sharp in the quiet room. I took a long sip.

"I truly believe this project will change the world, Mr. Flemington," Marshall said.

"It...it will," I replied.

Suddenly, a strange, localized heat rushed through my veins. I blinked, the room tilting ever so slightly. I shook my head, trying to focus on Marshall, but his face seemed to ripple. I dismissed it as being tipsy; I’d had a fair amount of wine during my dinner date with Octavia earlier that night.

We continued talking about logistics and funding rounds, but the room began to blur into a smear of colors.

Images flickered at the edge of my vision. I thought I saw a figure standing behind Marshall—someone who looked impossibly like Bella. She was smiling.

"B—Bella?" I stammered, my own voice echoing in my ears as if I were underwater.

My vision darkened further. My head felt heavy, and a wave of dizziness washed over me. I rubbed my forehead, but every movement felt sluggish and distorted. Was I hallucinating? Was I so drunk that I was seeing my ex-girlfriend in the middle of a business meeting?

"What is it, Mr. Flemington?" Marshall’s voice sounded miles away.

I tried to stand, but the floor spun violently beneath my feet. "I don’t... I don’t feel so good," I managed to choke out. The champagne glass slipped from my numb fingers, shattering on the floor.

"I...I need to go," I struggled, but my legs felt like lead. Panic flared in my chest, but my eyelids were becoming too heavy to keep open.

As I began to slump, I felt someone catch me, guiding me toward a nearby couch. I fought to focus on the person helping me, and through the haze, the image of Bella appeared again, leaning over me. Her voice and the sounds of the restaurant surged in a chaotic echo.

What is happening to me? I wondered desperately. The wine couldn’t have been that strong. I tried to call out for help, to ask what was in the glass, but the words died in my throat.

Darkness rushed in from the edges of my vision, pulling me under before I could process whether the woman standing over me was real or a ghost of my own making.

My heartbeat sounded like a muffled drum in my ears, slowing down with every passing second as the world dissolved into a terrifying, velvet void. I felt a cold hand brush against my cheek, and the last thing I registered was a whisper I didn’t recognize—sharp, mocking, and entirely too real to be a dream.