She's Too Busy Winning to Watch Him Cry novel Chapter 288

The next morning, as Caleb was heading out the door, Delilah called out to him softly.

"Hold on a second." She walked over and opened her palm. The sandalwood prayer beads rested there, smooth and gleaming. "Lyra gave these to me. I've always felt a sense of peace wearing them. I want you to wear them today."

Caleb raised an eyebrow, his tone dismissive. "Mom, there's no need for that."

Despite his words, he obediently lifted his right arm.

Delilah carefully slipped the beads over his wrist. They were cool at first, but quickly warmed against his skin. "My eyelid has been twitching lately, and I just feel on edge. Wear them for peace of mind."

Hearing this, Caleb's expression sobered. His first thought went straight to his pregnant wife. "Mom, please keep a close eye on Kayla... If you need to, I can hire more staff for the house."

"Too many strangers in the house will just cause unnecessary stress," Delilah reasoned, waving a hand. "I'll tell you what—we'll arrange for maternity nurses to come in advance to help her now, and we'll hire two specialized nannies once the babies are born. That will be the safest route."

"Alright. Whatever you think is best."

With everything settled, Caleb stepped toward his car. Delilah called out one last reminder from the porch: "Martha, Mr. Lawrence, and I have everything handled here. You just focus on your work and don't worry about us."

Caleb glanced back. His mother was standing under the awning, fussing much more than she usually did. A warm feeling settled in his chest as he nodded, ducking into his car.

He was heading to the factory today.

Lyra had already left for Fairchild Holdings; their routes were in opposite directions.

Lyra spent the entire morning swamped with work. By lunchtime, she was sitting by the window in the corporate cafeteria, eating with Secretary Montgomery.

Her phone buzzed. It was a photo from Zane—a beautifully plated dish of steak and roasted vegetables that looked professionally made.

Lyra typed: [Are you not working today?]

Zane: [I'm at work. I cooked that yesterday and took a picture.]

Lyra: [I love cooking too.]

Zane: [We should cook together sometime and compare skills.]

Lyra: [Sounds fun.]

Zane: [No time like the present. How about tonight after work?!]

Lyra hesitated. Zane was at odds with Vivienne—they were practically enemies. Could she use Zane to get back at her? She was just starting to entertain the idea of getting closer to him when Rowan crossed her mind. Rowan and Zane were good friends.

The reservations she had just pushed down instantly flared back up.

She abandoned the idea and typed out a polite rejection: [I don't think tonight works. I've got a lot on my plate. Maybe next time.]

Just as she was about to hit send, Secretary Montgomery's hand slammed down over her screen.

"Boss, you're scowling so hard you could crush a rock with your forehead. If you don't actually want to say no, then don't."

Without asking for permission, the secretary snatched the phone, deleted the text, and typed: [Sure!]

She hit send and handed it back.

Lyra stared at the screen as Zane replied with a very enthusiastic sticker. She looked up in surprise. "Do you have a boyfriend, Secretary Montgomery?"

"What did you say?"

Her voice shook with total, uncomprehending shock.

"Caleb..."

"He's dead?"

Lyra's knees buckled, her body sliding toward the floor.

Zane dropped his tongs and caught her before she hit the ground. "Lyra, what's wrong? Don't panic. It might just be a scam call. Don't scare yourself yet."

"Where's the address? I'll take you right now. You are in no condition to drive. I've got this."

The voice on the phone had said there was a catastrophic rigging failure at the factory. A massive steel component had crushed the work zone. The paramedics on the scene had already confirmed the victim was crushed beyond survival.

"No! It's impossible..." Lyra trembled violently, black spots dancing in her vision. "Fairchild Holdings hasn't gone bankrupt, he can't be dead! I saw him this morning, he was fine, how could he..."

The car tore through the city streets.

Lyra covered her ghostly pale face, tears streaming endlessly through her fingers. She shook uncontrollably. Zane kept his voice low and steady, repeating reassurances to keep her from completely shattering.

The second they reached the factory, Lyra threw the door open and sprinted out.

Police tape already cordoned off the area. Reporters had arrived even faster, their massive camera lenses and blinding flashes aimed at the wreckage, creating a chaotic, deafening scene.

Seeing the flashing lights, Lyra's legs gave out entirely. If Zane hadn't been right beside her, gripping her arm tightly, she would have collapsed onto the pavement.