Chapter 57

MAX POV.

"Alright," the police officer finally said, breaking the tense silence. "You can go in, but make it quick."

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding. "Thank you, officer," I said, trying to mask the overwhelming relief surging through me. Inside, I was elated. This was it. My plan was still on track.

The officer stepped aside, and I walked through the door. As I entered Mr. Kenneth's hospital room, a wave of unease settled over me.

The air felt heavy, and the faint beeping of the heart monitor added to the tension. There he was, lying on the hospital bed, his eyes closed.

His face looked gaunt and pale, the vibrant man I once knew now reduced to a shadow of himself.

I stood there for a moment, unsure of how to proceed. He’s just sleeping, I thought to myself, though his stillness made me second-guess.

His chest rose and fell steadily, but there was no other movement. It was hard to see him like this, but I had no time for sentimentality.

How am I supposed to make him sign the contract without him knowing? I wondered. This part of the plan was delicate, and I couldn’t afford to make any mistakes.

Then I remembered Nadia’s words during one of our late-night strategy calls: "He’s just out of a coma, Max. He’s conscious but too weak to move or speak. His eyes might not even open, but he can hear. He’s alert in his head. You’ll have to rely on that."

Her reminder echoed in my mind as I took a cautious step closer to the bed. "Mr. Kenneth," I began, keeping my voice soft but clear. "It’s Max. Your senior manager."

No response. He lay there, still as ever.

I forced a smile, even though he couldn’t see it. "I just wanted to check in on you. Everyone at the office has been worried. But don’t worry, I’ve been taking care of things. The company’s in good hands."

I paused, waiting for some kind of reaction. Nothing.

Swallowing my frustration, I pressed on. "I’ve been making sure all your projects are running smoothly. You’ll be proud of the progress we’ve made when you’re back on your feet."

Still, no movement.

I adjusted my position, leaning slightly closer to him. "You know," I said, injecting a bit of humor into my tone, "handling everything alone hasn’t been easy, but I’ve managed."

Silence.

I sighed, the weight of the room pressing down on me. This isn’t going anywhere, I thought. My patience was running thin.

Then an idea struck me. If he could hear, maybe I needed to test it. I straightened up and cleared my throat. "Mr. Kenneth," I said firmly. "If you can hear me, raise a finger. Just one finger, that’s all."

For a moment, nothing happened. My heart sank, doubt creeping into my mind. Maybe Nadia was wrong. Maybe he wasn’t as aware as we thought.

But then, a tiny movement caught my eye. His right index finger twitched, slowly lifting off the bed.

I froze, staring in disbelief. There it was…clear as day. He had raised his finger.

My chest swelled with joy. "You can hear me," I said, my voice almost trembling with excitement. "You really can hear me!"

I couldn’t contain my happiness. This was the confirmation I needed. If he could hear me, my plan would work. Everything was falling into place.

I glanced at the contract form tucked in my hands and grinned. It was only a matter of time now.

"Mr. Kenneth," I started again, keeping my voice calm but persuasive. "There’s something important I need to discuss with you. It’s about a business opportunity…one that could change everything for the company."

I paused, watching for any sign of acknowledgment. His finger remained still, but I pressed on.

"You remember Mr. Logan, right? The businessman with those huge companies overseas? Well, he’s reached out to us. He wants to partner with your company," I said, emphasizing the urgency.

"This deal isn’t just big…it’s massive. Billions of dollars are on the table, sir."

Still no reaction, but I knew he could hear me. I had already seen him respond earlier.

"The only issue," I continued, letting out a small sigh for effect, "is that your signature is needed to finalize the contract. And since you’ve been... unavailable, it’s caused a bit of a delay."

I shifted on my feet, trying to seem casual yet firm. "If you want this contract signed," I said, choosing my words carefully, "all I need is a signal. Just raise one finger if you agree that this deal should go through."

I waited, my eyes fixed on his right hand. A few seconds later, his index finger slowly lifted into the air. My heart leaped.

"Good, good," I said, barely able to contain my excitement.

"Now, if you want to sign the contract right now, I need you to raise two fingers instead of one."

My voice had a slight tremor, but I tried to sound confident. "Two fingers will mean you trust me to handle this for you, sir."

The room went quiet except for the faint beeping of the machines. I held my breath, watching closely. Then, after what felt like an eternity, his second finger slowly rose to join the first.

My stomach did a flip. This is it, I thought, struggling to keep my glee from showing. "Thank you, Mr. Kenneth," I said, my voice filled with false gratitude. "You’ve made the right decision, sir. I’ll take care of everything for you."

In my mind, I was already celebrating. The plan was falling into place perfectly. With his signature, I could manipulate the documents and funnel the money from the deal straight into my own accounts. No one would suspect a thing.

I reached into my briefcase and pulled out the file containing the contract. My hands were steady as I opened it and placed it carefully on the bedside table. Then, I took out a pen, clicking it open with precision.