n's

iers, they'd look l

The Walters were seated opposite us, the tension so s

ness meetings, but never o

f the deal. B

cy, control, and the kind of family my

treat her like any

the world tilted. Her perfum

ried herself - calm,

Numbers, proposals, projections -

ad flicked to my wrist when I sat down. The wa

most laughed. Symbolic? Try catastrophic. She approached like she

I could smell that same faint trace of perfume - th

slid in

teady.

second, ti

l I could see was her - the same woman in that di

ween us now was quieter,

my thumb as I held her h

ta

her wrist. The one I'd kissed witho

st my palm, and

ide but unreadable, every s

kn

kn

r of us co

Cameras. S

congratulating themselves for un

e cameras, the kind tha

lt like it was burning

n with that knowing glint

I said, keepin

nt. "You hate being here, but so

n't a

I might've said her name - the

s, and "a new era of partnership." It sounded noble to anyone wh

fect posture, flawless composure, her eyes fixed on the contra

that had once pulled me closer now clenched around a

iling politely, shaking a few hands, do

looked awa

ve, and for a mom

opped - just onc

k gleamed i

.

htly. Just a flicker

ition.

saw the mask slip. The perfect dau

rk, now standing under crystal lights, pretend

ding it fast, a

was never meant to exist - had

all the women in this damn city, I'd fa

we were

y and collaboration, about how two powerful f

them would k

refully spoken promise - there was history. Bittern

me again.

look at h

n the door Ashley ha

ed. The memory stayed. And the imp

es had fought over mo

was dif

just busin

s per

would burn bef