IV

sleep. My conversation with Grace kept replay

, this battered flip phone still mattered to me-it was the only way my grandmother insisted on contacting me. She lived in a nursing

nd opened the nearly ab

read m

-Year Reunion"-the alumni group for Eagle Heights

I did was turn o

ep thinking

Just as Grace had said, he'd posted the full details of the reunion sched

difficulties in life, you can alwa

ven bothering to

rnia's earliest private senior-housing developers, and William himself was now the nomi

ring to

a round of truth-o

t this one deserved a trophy. These people had never truly seen me-let alone reached out when I was at my l

ply to a si

ved-Emma Cooper had been

pected, no one mentioned me. Nearly ever

Mor

r on Manhattan's Upper East Side-one of the youngest cardiothoracic consultants there. Someone else commented that he'd "been winning

ents flo

hole heartthrob turned into a

ong time, my heartbeat slowin

finally

own to. We were all gathered in the confere

Matthew carried enormous influence in San Francisco's advertising and media circles. A Wharton graduate, he'd returned to the Bay A

sister's interference. He'd shaken h

well-known fashion magazine. Isabelle inherited her mother's taste and ambition-but not her practical ability. Her position came largel

client was clearly pleased. I felt a rush of r

d Isabelle's alt

as exactly what I'd tol

tried to defend her idea, but Matthew shut her down. In family matters, he never

ssfully. The client chos

m was e

lle w

with a smile, his tone lightly teasing. "I know you all put a lot i

of saving face

nowing looks a

ew announced enthusiastically. "Let's

rict and startup hubs. Employees from advertising, creative, and finance firms often gathered there on

planned

o take car

d in Manhattan DNA. I needed this job-and I

ot for

agged at me-it felt oddly familiar. B

he incoming commissio

o

and arrived near Battery

hattan traffic is

dn't ha

of seeing Emma m

, William walked straight over and punched

voice. "New York's sexiest doctor is here! Who

room. A few old classmates ev

and scanne

asn't

E

ed to William. "I can't drink. I might ge

, when a tall woman stepped c

rlo

, lightly touching my chest.

aven't seen you in years. but we're a

g against him. I only vaguely remembered her from high scho

not

d PhD abroad. No time for dating. Even now, my schedule's pac

ndifference. She shifted closer, her f

st. Does that mean you're really

r hand settled b

raised my hand an

ghter. They all knew exa

e an angry look

handing me a glass. "I know you don't drink a

oming a doctor, I'd sto

" I said

feel curious glances drifting my

eyes constantly flic

t opened, my

, I was di

to see

'd liked me-especially after that night together. I'd felt it in ev

erase me from h

napped me out

to you? You got fat!"

up imme

aving a baby, you idio

asses clinked. Music

heard from Emma Cooper? I've messaged her a few times-no respo

er name, my entir

neutral, fighting to

the rumor about E

lliam leaned for

. is

ung heavily

m fell

dropped

clenched

't be true.

dn't. I swallowed the stor

disbelief. "Is that why she cut off cont

"Maybe that's why Grace couldn't tell me anyt

our class saw her in a

velyn spoke up,

e turne

took my grandmother to the hospital-she was very sick. I saw Emma there

ible," someo

ou can explain that tumor. Was it terminal? I remember her family wasn't well

s turne

it

t like it ha

ldn't

ly and stormed

th

ashed into

ght her by the wais

liar scen

es wi