Chapter 3

When I finally got home, I stopped dead in the doorway.

Something felt different. The entire apartment was nothing like it used to be.

There was a makeshift ashtray on the coffee table. A blue fabric cover had been thrown over the couch. A game controller sat beside the TV stand, sticking out like a sore thumb.

Charlotte had always been a neat freak. She would frown at even the slightest intrusion into her personal space.

Last year, I suggested getting a little pothos plant. She said it was too much trouble and would attract bugs.

Everything was different now.

I had no idea how long I stood there before I finally sat down on the couch.

My phone screen lit up.

Hugh had posted a new update.

In the photo, he was flashing a peace sign at the camera. Behind him, Charlotte was busy cooking in his kitchen.

The caption read: [I’m not afraid of anything with you here.]

I set my phone down. At some point, I fell asleep.

When I woke up, the sky was already bright. Charlotte had not come home all night.

I silently washed my face, changed clothes, and headed to work.

The moment I stepped into the office, the sweet smell of pumpkin spice filled the air.

There was a cup sitting on my desk, with a note stuck to the side: [The first pumpkin spice latte of fall! Everyone deserves to be happy!]

A crowd had gathered around Hugh. His eyes curved into happy crescents as he laughed.

“Ms. Henderson bought it for me. I only mentioned it in passing, but she insisted on treating everyone. I couldn’t stop her!”

Someone nudged him with an elbow.

“Hugh, we all saw your post last night... Don’t tell me Ms. Henderson stayed at your place all night?”

“Ah! A man and a woman staying the night together. Did sparks start flying?!”

“You’re so handsome. There’s no way she could resist you!”

Hugh took a sip of his pumpkin spice latte, the tips of his ears turning red.

“Why are you guys so dirty-minded? Nothing happened! There was just a power outage, and she was worried something might happen to me, so she came over.

“It was completely innocent. We just curled up in the living room and watched movies all night.”

“What kind of movies?”

He grinned.

“Horror movies. We just held onto each other to keep warm...”

I stood there holding my latte, but my palm had gone ice-cold.

I was just about to throw it away when Charlotte walked out of her office. She had changed into a dress and looked refreshed, as though she had gotten a good night’s sleep.

Her eyes passed over me without pausing for a moment.

“Everyone, get ready. We’re heading to South City today for a community outreach and relief visit. The bus is waiting downstairs.”

She crooked a finger at Hugh. He immediately got up and followed her. The two of them walked side by side toward the elevator.

The bus was waiting outside the office building. I was the last one to get on.

Charlotte was sitting by the window, the seat beside her empty.

I tightened my grip on my bag strap and was about to walk over.

“Gideon.”

Hugh squeezed past me from behind, his voice neutral.

“Ms. Henderson saved this seat for me. You’re already bad enough at your job. How is it that even being a decent person is so hard for you?

“Always throwing yourself at women like you’re desperate to be their backup plan. Can you stop staring at women all the time? Seriously, are you that thirsty?”

The entire bus fell silent.

Charlotte looked at me. Her voice was calm.

“Gideon, go sit in the back.”

I had seen that expression countless times before.

For years, I had mistaken it for a tenderness that belonged only to me. However, it looked completely different now.

My colleague Zane Reed’s voice came from the back of the bus.

“Gideon! There’s a seat here!”

I moved to the back and took the empty seat.

As soon as I sat down, Zane leaned over and handed me one of his earbuds.

The bus pulled away. He glanced at me several times before finally typing something on his phone and holding it out to me.

[Bro, stop secretly pining after Ms. Henderson.]

[You treated her so well before that I actually felt bad for you. I thought she was just cold and treated everyone the same. I figured she just didn't understand.]

[But now I see it. She just doesn’t make exceptions for you.]

[Remember the last time you got sent on a business trip? That same afternoon, Ms. Henderson made Hugh her assistant.]

[We all talked about it privately. We figured she transferred you away because she was afraid you’d make things difficult for him if you stayed.]

I stared at the messages.

Then I typed back.

[It’s fine. I get it now.]

I opened my supervisor’s chat and sent a message.

Gideon: [I’d like to volunteer for the overseas training program starting in two days.]