Vincent's hand tightened slightly around Anna's wrist as she tried to walk away.
"Anna", he said firmly.
She stopped but kept her back turned to him.
Her shoulders were trembling slightly, though she tried to hide it. Vincent noticed.
The anger that had filled him a moment ago slowly began to fade, replaced by confusion.
"Look at me",he said,his voice calmer but still serious. Anna didn't move. Vincent exhaled impatiently and gently pulled her so she faced him.
The moment she turned around,his expression changed immediately. Tears were streaming down her face. For a second, Vincent was completely caught off guard.
"What... What's the problem?" He asked, the sharp anger in his voice now replaced with concern.
Anna tried to speak,but the moment she opened her mouth a son escaped instead.
She quickly wiped her face with the back of her hand, embarrassed.
"I'm fine", she muttered.
Vincent frowned."No, you're not", he said.
She looked away, clearly trying to hold herself together.
Vincent sighed, running a hand through his hair, he hated emotional situations and yet something about seeing Anna like this made it impossible for him to simply walk away.
"Stop trying to run from the conversation", he said quietly.
"If something is wrong,just say it".
Anna shook her head."it's nothing", she said again,though her voice was weak.
Vincent didn't believe that for a second without another word,he gently but firmly took her arm and guided her toward his office,"Vincent....what are you doing?" Anna asked softly.
"We're not discussing this in the middle of the office", he replied.
He opened the door and motioned for her to go inside . Anna hesitated, but eventually stepped into the room. Vincent closed the door behind them, shutting out the noise of the office.
The room became quiet. Anna stood near the desk, wiping the remaining tears from her cheeks while Vincent leaned against the edge of the table, watching her carefully.
"Now", he said more calmly,"tell me what happened".
Anna took a deep breath,but the words seemed difficult to say. For a moment, she stared at the floors.
"Today's..." She began slowly,..."today is my mom's birthday".
Vincent's serious expression softened slightly. Anna swallowed before continuing.
"She died three years ago ", the words were quiet, but the pain behind them was clear.
Vincent straightened a little but remained silent, allowing her to continue.
"She was in a car accident", Anna said, her voice trembling again. "A really bad one", her hands clasped together tightly as if she were trying to control the memories flooding back.
~đź–¤~
The doctors said there was nothing they could do", she continued softly. "She was gone before I even got to the hospital".
Vincent felt a small knot form in his chest as he listened. Anna wiped her eyes again."she was everything to me", she said, "my best friend,my family.... My whole world". She paused for a moment, taking another deep breath to steady herself.
"I didn't come to work because I went to visit her grave" she explained quietly.
"I just needed to see her.... to talk to her".
Vincent looked down briefly,his earlier anger now feeling completely misplaced. Anna gave a small, sad smile.
"L know it probably sounds strange" she said . "Taking to someone who isn't there anymore"
Vincent shook his head slightly,"No" , he said quietly,"it doesn't".
Anna continued,her voice becoming softer.
"The hardest part is that after she died.. I realized how alone I really was".
Vincent frowned slightly,"what do you mean?"
Anna hesitated before answering.
"My mom never told me who my father was".
Vincent's eyebrows slowly drew together. Anna let out a quiet,bitter laugh,"she always said she would explain when the time was right", she said. "But that time never came ".
Her eyes filled with tears again,"so when she died....all the answers died with her".
The silence in the room grew heavier.
"I don't even know if my father is alive". She continued "I don't know his name,where he is,or if he ever cared about me".
Her voice broke again.
"I guess that's why today hurts so much". Vincent stood there quietly, absorbing everything she had just said. The girl standing in front of him suddenly seemed very different from the confident,strong employee he saw everyday.
For the first time he realized how much pain she had been carrying inside.
Anna wiped her face again, embarrassed by how emotional she had become.
"I'm sorry", she said quietly "I didn't mean to bring all of this into work".
Vincent didn't answer immediately.he simply stood there, looking at her with an expression that was no longer anger or impatient.
Instead,it was thoughtful. And for the first time that day Vincent realized that maybe he had judged her far too quickly.