His Loss, Her Lasting Love

terday how stressed she's been feeling." A lie, so simple and so effective. It pain

y soul into it. But as I started my presentation, the words felt foreign in my mouth. My hands trembled, rattling the papers I held. I saw the faces ar

e gently. "Ava, perhaps

ternoon sun streamed through the large window,

ve been our top architect for years, but lately... you seem di

ing the narrative, framing my de

personal life is not affecting

nd. I'm assigning Mark as the lead on it. I'd like you to assist him. And

oject to Mark and forcing me to work under him,

ly unfair!" Sarah from drafting muttered as I walked back

" Tom from accounting whispered. "Mark brings

l," he was saying, his voice low. "But if I don't keep Mark Johnson happy, h

h. It wasn't about fairness. It

my movements stiff and robotic. I would serve out my two weeks'

y box in my hands. The doors

used to make my heart leap. She was looking up at him, her eyes shin

me, in the very same hallways where our own story had begun. He was holding her

ike watching a movie of my life with another actress in my role. T

. His face, which had been open and happy a second before, became