im: the modality of leaving Varya, the woman who had given

had happened before in his life. But the harsh reality of his fam

eniable sweetness, had captured his af

standards. They craved someone powerful, someone like Tia, wh

s conscience. He knew that breaking things off with Varya woul

to Tia was more important, a marriage pr

nce from Varya's phone?" he mused, his thou

ung over him like a dark cloud, threatening

lan. "I'll ask her to go on a date with me this weekend,"

t her phone, to erase any linge

rd time, Theo's brows furrowed in frustrat

wing sense of unease, stirring up a whirlw

A'S

d that felt like the whole univers

o's betrayal remained as a miscellane

, I was faced with the beautiful fa

had slept over to care for me,

ecause of you," I hated myself silently, the

r? With a long sigh, I decided to put things right, by making

ith an image of how to face things objectively. "Get up from there, you sorry excuse for a

erself being the one exasperated an

d a little of my guilt that has been eating at me. "Oh, I am sorry, I woke you up. I am forever indebt

l so bad," she playfully told me, her finger flicking hard on my behind. "Even though I c

ce of strength in the face of my shortcomings. With a laugh, I dashed out of bed to freshen up, determined to

y phone nearby. With a sense of resignation, I picked it up and un

ell. Let's meet up this weekend for a date, you h

y lips curl into a grin of disbelief

sted in his pursuits, particularly his flirting with Tia. And

muttered under my breath, the

t had transpired between us, he told me to my face he

lete nonsense when the ringing of Theo's call snatched m

my mind, and then I picked up the phone and start

s!" I said feeling as if it was in my bones and my hear

," Theo replied, his words feeling holl

e responding to that lie, a pregnant silence

it again. "I'd like to go out with you this weekend if you do not h

finally end things and face my own life, and let go of th

t let me down by sounding too excessive. "I've mi

me. I deceived myself one more time, let me fe

e said, his voice strained w