~DANIEL~
It was like breathing in smoke every time she looked at me.
Jessica.
So beautiful, so trusting. So undeserving of the storm I had dragged into our lives.
Every moment I stayed silent was another cut across my soul.
Every fake smile was another weight on my chest.
But I had no choice.
If I told her the truth, I’d lose her.
If Crystal sent that video, I’d lose her anyway.
So I chose the only path that gave me a small chance of protecting her heart….by pushing her away.
Letting her hate me would be easier than letting her love me while knowing I betrayed her.
God, I hated myself.
She was slipping through my fingers, and I was the one loosening the grip.
~JESSICA~
I started to notice little things.
Daniel would flinch when I touched him.
He kept locking his phone.
He had stopped mentioning work stories.
He even missed dinner two nights in a row.
And then, I found his cologne in the laundry basket…my favorite one, the one he wore the
