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FORTY TWO
publish date:
2026-04-23 13:14:21
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I LEFT WHEN HIS EX CAME BACK WITH HIS SON 130
THALIABy the time I found my way back to Olivia, the afternoon sun had begun its slow descent, pouring through the tall windows in warm ribbons of gold that stretched across the polished floor. The place was quieter than it had been earlier, though not by much.I slipped behind my desk, setting the folder Coach George had asked me to return beside the stack of recovery charts waiting to be updated. Before I could reach for the first clipboard, Olivia looked up from the treatment table where she was sorting fresh supplies, and the smile that slowly spread across her face told me she had been waiting for my return.“There you are,” she said, watching me far too closely to make me comfortable. “I was beginning to think you’d accepted a new job.”I laughed as I pulled my chair out.“I don’t think Coach George would appreciate me resigning halfway through camp.”“He’d survive.”She closed the lid of the medical kit before wandering over, folding her arms against her chest with exaggerat
I LEFT WHEN HIS EX CAME BACK WITH HIS SON 129
I loosened the knot of my tie the moment I stepped into my room. It was too tight and the little moment with Thalia made it tighter.My head was all over the place.I dropped the folder I’d been carrying onto the desk before slipping my watch from my wrist. As I pulled the leather strap free, it caught on the edge of the bandage wrapped neatly around my forearm.My hand stilled.For a moment, I simply looked at it.A white strip of gauze.Nothing special.Yet the sight of it pulled me straight back. A smile tugged at my mouth before I could stop it.She hadn’t even asked.She’d seen the scrape, frowned at it like it had personally offended her, and reached for the little first-aid pouch clipped to her belt before I’d managed to get a single excuse out.She’d looked exactly the same as she always used to whenever she was focused on something—her brows drawn together in concentration, her lips pressed into that tiny line that meant she was trying very hard not to roll her eyes.Some hab
I LEFT WHEN HIS EX CAME BACK WITH HIS SON 128
THALIA The voices around me faded into nothing.I was still holding my clipboard, but my fingers had tightened around it so much that the edges dug into my palm without me noticing. He’d jumped into the pool.For reasons I couldn’t quite explain, that simple truth settled somewhere deep inside me.I handed the clipboard to Olivia without taking my eyes off him.“Can you hold this for me?”She searched my face for a moment before glancing toward Brandon. Understanding flickered in her expression almost immediately.“Of course.”Taking a steadying breath, I crossed the tiled floor, weaving between players who were still laughing about the morning’s demonstration. By the time I stopped beside the small group of executives, Brandon looked up.Surprise flashed briefly across his face.“Thalia?”The conversation around him came to an immediate halt.I offered the others an apologetic smile before looking back at Brandon.“Can we talk for a sec?”Coach George glanced between us before giv
I LEFT WHEN HIS EX CAME BACK WITH HIS SON 127
The walk from the recovery station to the newly completed indoor pool took only a few minutes, but Olivia somehow managed to fill every second with conversation. “I still can’t believe they finished this place ahead of schedule,” she said, looking around at the freshly painted walls and polished glass panels. “Last week there were still construction workers everywhere.” “I’ll admit,” I said with a smile, “it does look impressive.” “It should. I heard Brandon insisted on bringing the opening forward so the team could start using it before the next training phase.” I nodded absently, though my thoughts had already drifted somewhere else. The silence that settled between us lasted only a moment before I glanced sideways at her. “Can I ask you something?” “You just did.” I laughed. “You know what I mean.” She smiled. “Go on.” I hesitated, unsure why the question had stayed with me all night. “When I woke up yesterday… I asked if Brandon had been there.” “I remember.” “You sa
I LEFT WHEN HIS EX CAME BACK WITH HIS SON 126
THALIA By the following morning, the cough had settled into little more than an occasional irritation at the back of my throat, surfacing only when I laughed or spoke for too long, but that hadn’t stopped Olivia from eyeing me as though I might collapse at any moment.“I’m telling you now,” she said the instant I walked into the recovery station, “if you so much as sneeze, I’m sending you straight back to the lodge.”I set my bag on the table and laughed, earning myself another small cough.“There. You see?” She pointed at me triumphantly. “That doesn’t sound like someone who’s completely recovered.”“It sounds like someone who laughed at you.”“It sounds like someone who should be in bed.”“I was in bed. All night.”Olivia narrowed her eyes, clearly debating whether she believed me, before finally letting out an exaggerated sigh.“I suppose I’ll allow you to work.”“How generous of you.”“I know.”The morning quickly settled into its usual rhythm. Players wandered in after practice
I LEFT WHEN HIS EX CAME BACK WITH HIS SON 125
THALIAI woke up feeling a little soreness from all the coughing I did when I got back to my cabin.It wasn’t painful, just an annoying tickle at the back of my throat that refused to disappear no matter how much water I drank.I closed my eyes for a brief moment, willing the memories of yesterday away before climbing out of bed. The camp doctor had insisted I take the morning off if I still felt unwell, but apart from the occasional cough, I felt perfectly fine.Besides, I wasn’t about to let everyone start treating me like I was made of glass.By the time I arrived at the recovery station, the morning practice was already underway.The familiar sounds of skates gliding across the ice drifted through the open doors, mixing with Coach George’s booming voice as he barked instructions at the players.Unfortunately, the team lost focus the minute I entered.“There she is.”Olivia looked up the moment I stepped inside before abandoning the files she’d been organizing.“How are you feelin
I LEFT WHEN HIS EX CAME BACK WITH HIS SON FIFTY
THALIAI stood just behind the stage entrance, my hands resting lightly against each other as I adjusted my grip, then released it again when I realized I was doing too much.“You’re good,” the event coordinator said quietly as she passed me. “It’s almost your turn.”I nodded once without respondin
I LEFT WHEN HIS EX CAME BACK WITH HIS SON THIRTY FOUR
THALIABrandon gave a short scoff beside me, the sound low and dry, as though my anger was something he found mildly inconvenient rather than justified, and it made my frustration spike all over again.“What exactly are you talking about?” he asked, leaning back into the leather seat as if we were
I LEFT WHEN HIS EX CAME BACK WITH HIS SON SIX
THALIAAcross the city, my new apartment still smelled faintly of fresh paint.Freedom had a strange scent.I stood in the middle of the living room, staring at the half-opened boxes scattered everywhere. The place wasn’t nearly as large as the Langford estate, but it felt lighter somehow. The sile
I LEFT WHEN HIS EX CAME BACK WITH HIS SON FIVE
BRANDONThe first thing I felt was anger.It sat heavy in my chest all afternoon, refusing to fade.I stood in my office at Langford Pharmaceuticals, staring through the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the city. Traffic crawled below like ants. People moved through their ordinary lives, wh
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