His Billion-Dollar Lie

eater car was suppose

ver seen before pulled up just past the corner,

door opened.

beater parked a little further down, got in, an

swappin

ury car. His "struggl

ie. Every sing

ry I'm late, honey. Got hel

ith Jessica, no dou

son, the long wait, the sight of the

nto the c

" Mark aske

in her hands. Her whole

partment, the air fel

he worn rug – all part

one, laughing quietly.

a little get-together tonight. Just a few f

To play the happy,

zzy. Her head

said. Her voice

y, Clara?" Mark sounded anno

ow baby sweater in the tr

stain was d

pain was a physical thing, a

th, a symbol of a lost

he living room, h

king at his

Her voice was su

, impatient.

he sweater. "

really bad about spilling wine on it. Don't worry,

er. "Come on, let's not make a b

her. Like

y. "You don't

full of a pain he couldn't

's a piece of

that, more than anything, br

hout knocking, using a ke

carrying a bot

, Marky?" she trill

a second, then return

here? And still ho

eater in Clara's han

le get attached to t

r are we staying in this... cozy little

lt somet

with you," Clara said, he

row. "Oh? And who's go

d out a wad of cash, and th

buy yourself something nice

e money, then at J

the coffee

tered. The tab

our goddamn mon

he fear was gone. She was just

time, she felt lucky. Lucky to fi