as steel. Pale sunlight spilled across the glass w

liar, from the beige curtains to the faint scent of his cologne lingering in the air. Yet

straightened her colla

a place she had never once set foot in

ower and prestige. Its glass façade reflected the dazzling light, a

ooked up at the massive metall

carved into her he

her heels echoed against the marble floor, blending

faint sound of whi

sident Edric wh

s Bella. Oh my god, those

rned sl

ooked as flawless as ever, tailored black suit, matchin

him once more as if they had never been apart. She smiled faintly,

Anne's chest lik

her fingers tightened around the strap of

im at work, just to have lunch together or bring

al matters with wor

t was a gentleness edged with frost, o

ork separate, it was about keeping her hidden. Keepi

ched the re

form looked up with

iss. Who would y

eet President

e was calm,

aused, giving her

o you have an

itated for a breath

sounded like she wasn't ev

conds before the receptionist f

s, President Raymond is currently single.

intly, a cold,

ndersta

lope from her bag and

tificate. You can give it to

ertain. Another staff membe

ed wife... But the presid

ard eve

sture, meeting their ey

to return something that

lope toward them, t

... who should I

but didn't

an who forgot he

g the weight of curious, pitying, and scornf

h heavy, was fir

carrying the scent of sunlight and dust. Anne stoo

love she had tried so hard to believe in, was now

ion. Pale. Tired. But her

ne, she opened the

c Ra

es. Just

eleted them, and finally

rned what

r phone away and wa

elt something close to freedom, lonely,

oup, Edric stepped out of a meeting when

she's your

, his express

ivorce paper, and an old wedding ring,

per. For a moment, something unr

ckly, his express

f it," he

ndow, watching the city blur pa

pain left.

ng the sunlight touch her

e would begin anew-no lon

mply a

ly, no home, and no