When fate plays its hand

Sebastian had been busy with family matters lately and hadn’t been to the lab.

It was just after 5:00 pm when Madison began packing up her things. “Miranda, I’m meeting someone for dinner, so I’m heading out now.”

“Okay.” Miranda glanced over and saw Madison holding a cracker. It barely had any calories, so it was likely just a snack to curb Madison’s hunger.

“Be careful on the road,” she added before returning her focus to the research data before her.

Once Madison left, the lab grew completely quiet, and Miranda lost track of time. By the time she snapped out of her focus, the sky outside had darkened. She switched off the equipment, cleaned up her space, and grabbed the trash on her way out.

In the car, she started the engine and released the handbrake with practiced ease. The car glided smoothly onto the road. As she passed an intersection, she checked the GPS and made a right turn.

The trees along the roadside were bare and were left with only spindly branches. Under the dim yellow glow of the streetlights, the area felt isolated and rundown.

Miranda flicked the signal calmly and steered to the far–right lane. Once the car was moving steadily, she reached over to turn on some music. The soft, instrumental melodies flowed like a quiet stream and brought a calming effect, almost therapeutic.

Suddenly, her phone rang. It was Sam.

“Are you busy?”

His deep voice was tinged with a hint of amusement. The casual, familiar tone immediately made her feel closer to him.

“I just left the lab, and on my way home,” Miranda answered.

Sam looked up at the sky, then frowned. “The weather is bad. It might snow later. Be careful on the road.”

“Got it,” she said.

He moved on to the next topic. “The equipment you ordered is here. Is anyone at the lab tomorrow? Should I have them deliver it?”

Sam’s company, SunTech Innovations, was the go–to source for lab equipment, and Miranda always ordered from him.

He laughed. “Thanks for the orders, Ms. Sutton. Maybe I’ll get a commission from all these sales.”

Miranda knew he was teasing.

Commission, huh? She had already checked the prices herself. Sam had given her the best deal, so there was no room for any sales commissions. At least he wasn’t taking a hit.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have continued ordering from him, Sam might indulge her, but he knew when to draw the line.

The equipment was ordered in November, and it had finally arrived. Miranda’s eyes lit us at the thought.

Tomorrow is fine. I’ll be in the lab all day. What time will they get here?”

“Probably around 10:00 am. Is that okay?”

“Sounds good. Thanks again, and sorry to keep bothering you. We should grab a meal sometime.”

The arrival of the new equipment lifted her spirits. These were the latest microbial observation tools from FlexNeutron Instruments in Dulcora, which had been released just a couple of months ago. Labs all over the world had been eager to get them.

But without the right connections, manufacturers weren’t selling to just anyone. Thanks to Sam, she’d managed to get the equipment before anyone else. NôvelDrama.Org: owner of this content.

Sam seemed to sense her excitement. His tone softened. “You’re rarely the one to invite me out. How about next weekend? Let’s book it now so you don’t get too busy and forget.”

Just as Miranda was about to respond, a car sped toward her and blinded her with its high beams. Before she could react, there was a loud crash as she slammed on the brakes.

Stunned, Miranda gripped the steering wheel tightly as she tried to process what she had hit.

On the other end, Sam heard the crash and immediately shouted, “Miranda! Can you hear me? Miranda!” Realizing something was wrong, he grabbed his car keys and rushed out. In his car, he started the engine and quickly dialed a number. “Find Miranda’s exact location in five minutes. Prepare a team and be on standby…

Meanwhile, Miranda sat frozen as she stared at the windshield. She didn’t get out right away. Instead, she ⚫ locked the doors and took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves.