plant, the air was thi

into his office before the morning mee

"Sarah, Mark came to s

"I figured

ou were going through a lot.

than I' ve ever bee

sted that perhaps Jessica Hayes was more de

at did y

arah. And your merit is undeniable. The transfe

touched my lips. "Than

, a smug look on her face. She gave a little wave, aimed more at Mr.

e and his expre

ausea seeing them together, so blatant. Jessica had

just felt a w

g, Mr. Henderson started

something to Jessic

out to announce my name

that announcement, there' s somet

ell over

ear, but with a strange sense of in

ark said, his voice dripping wit

ern. "Mark, this is ha

them. "You see, Sarah has a secret. A rather shameful one. She was married bef

. My past, my pain, laid bare

n, to make me seem unstable, untrustw

nto tears, humiliated and bro

round. I met his gaze,

from Mark to me, his

arah?" he asked,

true I had a brief, coercive marriage when I was eighteen. It was annull

nt. Mark looked like he

' s next words su

he turned to Mark, his voice like ice. "And thank you, Mark, for showing us your true character. Th

d, and a few others

mask of fury. Jes

calm. I had faced his wors

couldn' t stay. No

, I went to Mr. H

support more than I

rve better than... that." He gestured

erson," I said. "And I'

surprised. "I understa

" I said. "Som

r need a reference, you

a lump in my throat

my meager belongings fi

plant, head held hi

thdrew my seven thousand dollar

Texas, please," I sa

vy in my hand, a pa

ll up outside the station. He got out, lookin

e window and started

t time, then turned aw

y from the curb, leaving Mark Peterson and my