se

ly, Elise, you worry too much." He reached out, ruffling my hair, a gesture that had once been endearing, now felt repulsive. "Must be all those crazy stories on the internet gettin

shoved it back into his pocket. "Why don't you eat, love? I'll be right back. Just need to take care of a quick work call." His word

d dripping onto my fingers. It was a caramel macchiato. My heart twisted. I was allergic to ca

ortant things on his min

f apology etched on his face. It was the same expression he wore every time

A real emergency came up at the firm. I have to go down there. So

even. "Is it something

lifeline I' d unknowingly offered. "Yes, exactly! A huge project,

of the man I thought I knew. There was nothing but a carefully constr

ice hardened slightly. "I'm doing all this for us, for our life together. You know how important it is fo

constantly reminding Elias that I didn't come from "their world." But Elias had always fought for me. Seven years ago, when he first started his tech startup, his mothe

t. And I had worked just as hard, pushing myself in my own career, terrified of being a burden, of giving Hermina any reason to say "I told you so." She'd offe

as crumbling, bric

thering to hide it. His body tensed. "I have to go," he said, his voice flat, dev

ed, grabbed his keys, and walked out the

crolled through my call log. There was a number I didn't recognize, u