ospital waiting room. I stared at the peeling paint on th

of our dwindling finances. He was stable now, but the doctor was firm. He needed to be back in his spe

was forced to do the one thing

go back

ce that once felt like home. Now, it felt like a tomb. As I walked through the auto

t are you d

aid, my voice flat. "I need t

ailable." She fumbled with he

pen and out they walked, Daniel Hayes and Emily Chen, laughing, surrounded by senior partners. They

er smile tightened in

aid, her voice loud enough for everyone to

ly. Daniel' s gaze fell on m

ere?" he asked, his t

iel. My pride was a luxury I couldn't afford

said quietly. "And I need an advanc

g excuses for your failures? Some people just can't handle t

in my cheeks. I forced myself to hold Daniel's gaze, appealing to

ng tone in my voice, but I was desperate. "Just a fe

moment, his eyes searching mine for something. For a split second

a perfectly manicu

e's been acting so strangely. Who knows what she' s really after.

atchel. "What's in the bag? Still

she upended it, spilling its contents across the polished marble

s I had been sketching out for freelance work. But to a

finger. "She's stealing designs! She's tryi

ners gasped. The security guards, alerted

Daniel, no. That's not true. You know it

the competition now solidified into conviction. My strange behavior, my desperation, E

he said, his voice low and laced with

tears welling in my eyes. "T

flinch. He look

ded. "And make sure she never se

as useless. They were dragging me towards the door, my

ce raw with desperation and

rious, cruel smile playing on her lips. He let her pull him away, turning his back on me as the guards roughly shoved