You Wanted Space! We’re Done, Dr. Whitmore Chapter 08

You Wanted Space! We’re Done, Dr. Whitmore Chapter 08

I hung up.

Adrian’s calls kept coming One after another.

I let them ring.

Then the texts flooded in.

“I don’t agree to this.”

“You’re just mad about Evelyn, aren’t you?”

“You’re not thinking straight. Come back. We’ll talk.”

My screen kept lighting up with his name.

Then a different avatar flashed up.

Junior Emperor: “crying cat emoji.JPG”

The exact one I’d accidentally sent him earlier.

My thumb hovered.

I stared at the screen.

He’ll realize it was a mistake. Unsend it.

Two minutes.

Nothing.

I waited. “Wrong person.” Maybe.

Nothing.

My phone buzzed again.

Chase sent a sticker.

“Junior Emperor stuffed cash into my wallet.”

Oh.

The memory hit me. His half-smile in the conference room. The paycheck joke.

Embarrassment crept up my neck.

I started typing a serious explanation. A disclaimer: the emoji was not a hint.

Before I could hit send.

Chase again-

“Is that a hint?”

Then my phone chimed. Transfer notification.

Five figures.

I blinked at the screen.

Junior Emperor-

“Not a mistake.”

“Come with me to a wedding this weekend.”

“My godfather’s father’s sister’s nephew is getting married. My family’s going to start pushing me to settle down again. Annoying.”

“You’re single, right?”

“This is your overtime payment.”

I stared at the number.

Sophie’s wedding was Saturday too.

Years of friendship. The ultimate test.

I watched those digits taunt me.

The internal war was real.

In the end. I didn’t take the money.

I typed back, forcing the words out.

“Thanks for the invite. But Saturday’s my best friend’s wedding. I have to be there.”

I hit send.

Stared at the chat.

I could almost hear the cash walking away.

And somewhere in the back of my head, that one friendship anthem started playing.

On the wedding day.

Iran into someone I never expected to see.