t the silence as I lea

come in. It would be uncouth if someo

t, all I could t

e reminder of the look on her face but I tampe

ing I'd said was true? She had approached me for money back then aft

was nothing to me and I could care less about what s

that w

d back to the party. When I found them, Nathan and A

Alice I met the em

a neutral tone, careful to not

e left. She had a family ma

s saying her name, talking about her so familiarly. He knew nothing abo

I knew her game? Did she think s

gets back safely,"

head, "She's already gone above and beyond for me following me t

ha

trying to hide my shock as

en working for me for the past four years. A spitfire , that

, followed by the same bitter guilt. I forcefully co

eing a golddigger. Thinking back to the look o

for him didn't mean that she wasn'

e that sounded like hers echoed in my mind. I

ast time I saw her, so long as

her to ask her to be with you in th

d let me. She's...an amazing woman," Nathan sighed, looking awestruck at t

ght about Zerah? Why did him li

to think about it anymore a

cess and went as usual. For a mom

at despite the champagne I'd guzzled down through t

o me, just a contract wife I had for a year. The day we signed that contract yea

age, did you, even if it w

ed. Those last words from her years ago w

s? Shewas nothing more than an opportunist

d y

on my finger, I fel

alloway family had settled on an engagement. It felt more like a formality con

was protective of her. It only made sense that we would

el the same. I didn't feel anything wh

those feel

at was enough. Not only were his family counting on

ad sav

I had gotten into an accident and nearly drowned in the process. Alice, despite her healt

d care for and be bothered ab

me. I loved Alice an

in my head right befor

of a memory. I couldn't recognize it but I felt

afe," a muffled voice gasped. Bl

sweating and gasping in

it came to me at a time a while after the accident but as time passed I stopp

. The visions were blurry and I couldn't see well,

I gasped

now her until five years ago. How could she be

too much. Seeing her again

was already time to prepare for work. I dragge

care less

.

EEKS

s SEE

o the main branch was a good thing and a strateg

ted to punc

all HE

Zerah and Nathan together. Laughing and joking together in his office and eve

est in her. He was barely hiding it and I couldn'

ing past me like I didn't exist and had never said a word to m

SICK

aps I had gone to the Geronimo branch more times than ne

y, I reminded mys

r and concern towards Nathan. He was oblivious a

as hard to process when I arrived in the

ening, near closing. What was

er rushing out of the office with her bag, she di

the

han's office, I did

appened

hed, looking worried. My gut clenched at the thought. I didn'

stepped out of his office w

ed, recognizing the purse

going to tell Mr Hail since he's close

a what possessed me to move on

said to the sputtering emp

with me. I had no idea why I wanted to see her again. As I knoc

uldn't help but look over her. She looked so different wi

ca

her voice an octave higher than norma

the purse. I saw the realization come onto he

." she snapped and irr

era

l me that!

hell is w

Mo

fore footsteps came. From the open corner of th

rner of the room we

ooked EXACT