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bsp; “Yes, sorry I thought you were someone else”

“Is this a bad tiave me this number to reach you on”

“No, sorry, it’s fine I’ve been dealing with some telemarketers lately”

She chuckled, so on behalf of Mr Waverly fro with you on Mondaythe offices at the Winthorpe”

Waverly Hotels Group Maybe I could salvage this If not forhadn’t turned into fiery rubble

I ended the call and rushed back totheir hotel developrams Maybe…

44

Zara

Every step to my office was another flood of emotions Each step threatened to send me back to my apartment, but even there wasn’t safe

Stella’s muffled voice on the other side of my door, and Leo’s low ru room He hadn’t tried to use my key Good I had the chain on I couldn’t even afford to change the locks I buried my face in the couch cushions The soft, beautiful couch cushions he’d boughtworse My tears didn’t stop until the timid knock from Stella

There weren’t enough ice creae and sprinkles couldn’t fix a shattered heart

Messages and calls froer hovered above the block button before I broke down and tapped it But that didn’t stop the ust’s phone—each one blocked Leo even borrowed Everest’s, although they weren’t on the best of tere ended with the line “Let me explain”

Only I couldn’t Not right now Every text brought tears to ured out ould happen toabyss of impossibility when I tried to think of how this could be fixed

My hands shook with eachhis happiness with the news that he wouldn’t be returning next term

It was Monday , when I’d normally already be at the office Instead, I was in sweats, with stringy, unwashed hair, and sneakers, trudging to the office with my empty box