Elena felt on the inside, like the universe was in on

ter all those years, how does someone just flip and stab you in the back? No amount of mental gymnastics was g

the coffee, which should've felt like a hug, tasted like cardboard. The air? Thick enough to chew, pressing in on her chest.

bit, clinging to the mug like it was a lifeline, even though the warmth was long gone. Hope? Fad

nywhere else. "Stopped by her place, too. Neighbors say it's been a ghost town for two days." He

family supermarket to a fire was already a punch to the gut, but this-this betrayal-just twisted the knife. She could feel anger bubb

by the darkness creeping through the café. "The fire... could be about that missing super

ast flicker of hope in her eyes. Her voice? Barely a squeak, like she was afraid even her words would shatter. "Can the police

counter, his words nearly swallowed by the rain going nuts outside. "Yeah, the cop

ore pretending-Elena was flat-out broke, and everything was spiraling. Every damn second counted now.

option. She had to dig deep, scrounge up whatev

I think this whole thing was set up. The fire, the missing supermarket cash-it's all connected." His words just sort of melte

ng, they basically kicked down the door. Panic mode: fully activated. She couldn't sit around and hope things fixed themselves. Nope. There was a

tion. She had to pull every string, call in every favo

ch of this burned-out supermarket? We'll need them for insurance," Elena said, voice tryi

ever we can," the clerk sa

you guys... can you manage if we wait until the insurance come

I can wait, Miss. But the others? I don't think so. They've

Give me a week. I'll figure out what we c

yal employee, the one who'd always had her dad's back. Ele

arket trashed like this, We can't keep anyone on, no matter how

the boot. Job hunting? That's a nightmare, honestly. It's never just

ou could hear the heartbreak leaking out between the words. "When the supermarket's back ope

us, yeah?" The employee's eyes-man, the hope in th

. Now, go on." Her voice tried to be strong, but you could

lapsed onto the table. No more pretending. She sobbed, shoulders shaking, tears running down

brain was just static, frozen. She sucked in a shaky breath, trying to claw her way

ing furiously, hair falling in messy strands acro

nowhere: "What ar

ow-hit Elena like a shot of ice water. Her heart? Yeah, it stopped

was. Of course. Standing way too close, like he always did, and-seriously? With some woman latched onto his arm like a damn des

d of look that made her want to slap his face. Or, you know, at least wipe that smirk off wit

lly-because what else could she do? He thrived on these

Everything around her felt like it was spinning out of

ory of h

contin