The Day Her Heart Died, His Empire Fell

ng in the sterile air of

ancreatic can

was a ha

. Ramirez, a kind m

ings, prognosis, opti

d none

one I knew, h

ving felt empty,

rc

hus

hed back, tw

Southeast Portland,

g but dreams

or at a small art gallery

t a brilliant, driven coder wi

aCo

table, fueled by cheap coff

, my savings, every

it would b

ie," he'd said,

terile modern mansio

ss was a

l distance w

ed with work,

ch

his new o

nstant reminder of

say it di

all that mat

wn cold,

open secret I refuse

ing l

ness

e Sa

, her face from

nties, a

p in a Pearl D

ding the life he craved, th

l, the diagnosis papers a lea

versary had been

isa

me home

perfume, Chloe's sig

one he'd given me y

the floor, a testament

ing room now. The sha

them up, my h

door opene

rised to see m

sive lipstick, not my s

ong?" he asked, h

pers. "Marcus, w

e was a

for another one of

watch. "I have a

I said, my voice gain

hand through his pe

I forget to load th

uelty of it s

, Marcus. Abou

t the opulent room,

at was suff

gestured, my hand brushed agains

f red welled

it. He

Ellie. What is it

sal was li

said, the words finally o

't even

ous. Chloe is a v

spend nights with?

ly looke

liever. A networking necessity in thi

es wer

er out, once this criti

w it. He kne

rble countertop. Chloe's n

cked

What's

ntly softened,

ng well? You're s

ed, his b

I'm on my way

and grabb

door, not even a gl

he hand, holding her d

ered, heartbroken.

at the do

as a mask

vorce. What's next, Ellie? Are you going t

slamming the d

the diagnosis papers

n my hand

my phone, tri

o voicemai

the empty room. "Day one

rp and deep, ripped

nto a ball

er. It w

s utterl