Carden

ish. I went to work the next day, same routine. My body ached, a constant companion of my new life. It was a dull th

I saw him. Kody. He stood awkwardly by the entrance, dressed in a crisp wh

congenital heart condition, once a constant shadow over his childhood, seemed to have receded. He looked healthy, vibrant.

ocked onto mine. He took a hesitant step for

ht ahead. My heart was a stone in my chest. I

tch up, grabbing the handle of my cart.

he metal, then slowly, deliberately, removed it. "I

It's important." His eyes were brimmin

to break it. Those tears had always worked on me. Back then, they would tear throug

It wasn' t a promise, not really. It was a surrender. A concession to a ghost.

eyes. A small, tentative smile to

e still devoid of warmth, then p

hing me, a mix of relief

side me in his sleek, expensive car, trying to make convers

city lights. "Life changes people,

king hard in school. Dad says

Every word he spoke felt like a desperate attempt to bridge

a simple 18th birthday party. As we pulled up to the valet, I noticed the elaborate floral arrangements, th

monition creeping up my sp

from mine. "It's... it's a surprise," he

ght. A surprise

t the elegantly dressed guests, past the endless tables laden with fine food

ond glinting under the spotlights. Celena stood before him, her hand press

t. Not Kody's celebration. But theirs. A public declaration of their twi

pers broke out, turning into a low murmur that swept through the ballroom. All eyes turned to me, standing

joy, drained of all color. She stumbled back a step, her ha

eyes widened, and he instinctively, almost imperceptibly

his feet, his face a mask of feigned

enas?" a woman hissed, her voice carrying through the sudd

ce," another voice muttered. "And then sh

tened my family with a lawsuit over a

groundbreaking medical device. I had poured my heart and soul into it, fighting for my client, a small startu

their patent valid. I was on the brink of victory. Until I learned who the opposing counse

idence-an internal memo proving my client's independent discovery a

emo. Identical to mine, but with subtle changes, damning changes, that made my evidenc

d on its axis. I knew, in that in

on the floor. He couldn't meet my eyes. In that moment, the pieces clicked into place. His late nights, his distan

all in ruins. The worst part? My client, the innocent startup, was crushed. Their CEO, a brilliant, passionate man, shattered

was supposed to be celebrating his birthday. A twist

suffocating. My head spun. The betrayal was so deep, so absolute. I felt the fami