~AXEL~
I leaned back in the car seat, rubbing my temples as the city blurred past. The video call with suppliers had dragged on longer than expected, hashing out details for Eclipse Beauty's international rollout.
Orders were rising again, over 130,000 now, but I couldn't stop thinking about Layla driving home alone. That red-dot photo was still fresh in my mind.
I pulled out my phone and texted her: On my way. Everything okay?
No response. She's probably asleep, or busy with something and not with her phone.
But then, my phone rang, shattering the quiet. It was one of the security's numbers. I answered immediately. "What?"
"Sir, it's about Mrs. O'Brien. There's been an accident. She's at St. Mary's Hospital."
The world tilted. "What? Is she okay? What happened?"
"Car crash on the main road. We're outside the hospital now, but the paramedics have taken her into the ER. Details are sketchy, but another vehicle was involved."
