followed arguments-but the comfortable kind, where two f

over at Richard, who sat hunched forward,

nutes, peter b

old me the last ?" he as

wer right away. Hi

you were done. That you couldn't take i

e and leaned back against the couc

?" peter asked. "Why didn

rd swallowed hard. His finger

ck," he fi

linked.

rd said, voice low. "Autoimmune. The kind that drains

aighter, his exp

changed. How do you walk away from someone when they need yo

speak. He j

e I stayed. I care for her. Managed

shed me away. Maybe she was ashamed. Maybe she hated feeling helpless. B

ath. "You've been carryi

ke excuses for her either. But the truth is... I'm exhausted, peter. I feel like I've been

t broke her. That's not weakness, Richard. That's loyalty most people don't

ough. "I don't know who I am any

st buried under all the things no one sees

silence again. But this

as h

soon, and Peter went to

ning wa

a crisp white shirt. No beard, no mess. Just a clean face, calm

to talk about why. Not with anyone. Some choices don't

ng awake. He wasn't in a rush. He wasn't expecting anything

n't late. H

up with a stiffness in his back and a weight in his chest that had nothin

multi-level company they both worked in. He, the in-house legal counsel, handling everything from contracts to

fice lobby, he immediatel

e floor managers on duty had tight expressions, all of t

oor. His assistant met him bef

hour ago on the fourth floor-Tech & Appliances section. EMTs came, but now there's a f

row. "Health issu

e recording. And now there's talk of someone clai

and adjusted his cuff.

back down, this time

filming. Within minutes, a man-who claimed to be the woman's nephew-was shouting about negligence, about how no one helped his aunt unt

had been notifi

te-just went stra

inst the tile. Her presence turned heads. She was used to it. But what she walk

ily calmly, already br

been told your aunt collapsed. I hope s

, as if he'd been wai

nd no one helped! You think w

m, she was assisted immediately. Emergency res

oor stirred slightl

n Dera's t

hospital. But if this is an attempt to manipulate our team

ession twisted

ve dealt with staged claims

one who'd just collapsed. The bystanders started to murm

cal help, we'll continue cooperating. If not

an lo

, arrogan

urity could react-he lashed out

out. The so

restrained. His aunt scrambled to her feet, suddenly very alert

were steel. She stood up straight as the security guards d

noring the cha

Richard stepped