my head spin. I sat down heavily in the office chair, my ribs a

lly not feeling well?" she asked, a sliver of what might have

hen, but then a loud, theatrica

cut myself!" It was Liam, his v

d snapped toward the

by, what

just ran. I heard her skidding to a h

finger! It's blee

"I was just trying to chop some vegetab

need to get this cleaned and bandag

nk... I think I might need to go to

s dabbing at Liam's index finger with a paper towel with the intensity of a battlefield medic

loe said, her voice filled with panic. "

they passed the office, her eyes met mine for a brief second. There was no apology, no acknowledgment of her abandoned of

cked shut behind them, leaving me

to the quiet. It was the sound of the end. T

by the door. I walked over, picked it up, and without a second thought

ial, the stupid, blind love that had cost me five years of my

ious buzzing of a fly. I felt a strange sense of detachment, of emotional distance. It was as if

sary. "To our timeless love," the card had said. I picked it up. The sand was settled a

s up,

the new number, and found the contact

you feeling better? Ready to come b

r, David," I said. "But

n, what's going on? Is this about the Bridgerton project? W

said calmly. "I'm movin

gue, Jessica, must have been nearby because I coul

her voice audible. "Did

for her to hear. "And yes, we did. I

is one even more sh

appointed to lose you, Ethan. You're one of the best we have. Bu

le touching my lips for the first time