lyn

vel

alled my nam

hter while struggling to breathe. I needed to behave normally. He h

head, pretending to be puzzled. "Yes?" I heard you calle

isappeared just as quickly, replaced by a practiced calmness. "No, I'm fine. I just needed so

I answered calmly,

rowed slightly

thing," I replied, but the subtle

pping away my layers, attempting to uncover what w

, nodding quickly. "Yeah, I'm fine

walked off, maintaining my speed even though m

hest heaving with the burden of feelings I struggled to identify. My hands shook as I rested them on my

sn't

thoughts nagging at my head. I gazed at the ceiling, urging myself to release, to descend i

one before. A harsh tune of realities, or perhaps falsehoods, that I couldn't ignore.

ss of how hard I attempted to distance

apart from you like this.

. Anothe

ow long had thi

. I wanted to confront him, demand answers, but a small voice

own, I knew

... b

y dream. I groggily reached for it, m

s beside m

d left before

roat dry. He hadn't even

phone buz

nes

before answ

ou sound off.

he person I confided in the most. But sudde

ght... Sebastian was talking on

s a pause

sions. You know how things

sed to her that he longed for her." That

you have a lot on your plate at the moment." Perhaps take your time w

re you saying I sho

id quickly, almost too quickly.

but her words lin

fight for my marriage. She had endured the disput

so cautious with her

I pushed the thoughts aside and climbed out of bed, rea

on the nightstand, my eye

ian's i

never left ho

d a beat. Someth

sent him a quick text.

resp

Straight to

ling settle

had forgotten it, but it was th

eys. If he wouldn't pick up, I'd ju

ted me with a hesitant smile. "Mrs. Ro

ed. "Wit

oking at the sh

gh echoed f

iliar

omach

nes

ent. Perhaps she came to speak with him on

. th

anessa's voice purred. "When ar

d tilted

kle followed. "Soon. J

have easily spli

less, my breath tr

ed around the doo

do this. I sh

hing withi

ned th

ere the

draped around his shoulders, he

wrapped around his shoulders,

within me

tant, none

essa's ey

ush her away. Didn'

e barely

ane