All Chapters of Her Strength, Her Bane : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Joslyn stepped into the lobby of her apartment building, her mind still swarming with thoughts from her earlier visit to the hospital. She let out a sigh, offering a weak smile to the receptionist, Eunice, who returned it with an equally tired smile of her own."Hey," Eunice greeted her, presenting a brightly wrapped box of chocolates and a bottle of sparkling wine."Good evening, Eunice. What's this?" Joslyn questioned, peering curiously at the box."The new building owner asked to share these gifts with each resident to celebrate his acquisition of the building and foster a cordial relationship between residents and the landlord," Eunice explained, her voice tinged with rehearsed politeness.Joslyn accepted the gifts with a polite thank you, but couldn't shake off the feeling of uncertainty. She glanced around the lobby, noticing that the other residents didn't seem to be receiving similar packages. With her brows furrowed, she decided to inquire further."Have all the residents bee

Joslyn woke up to the morning sun streaming through her window, casting a warm glow over her room. With a groan, she reached out to silence the blaring alarm that had jolted her from sleep. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up on the edge of her bed, staring blankly into space. Despite feeling reluctant to leave the comfort of her bed, she knew she had to start her day.After a moment of blankly staring into space, Joslyn pushed herself to her feet and made her way to her dresser. With a sigh, she rummaged through her clothes for a suitable outfit for her morning gym session. Eventually, she settled on a comfortable set of workout clothes and made her way to the bathroom for a quick shower, even though she knew she'd be taking another one when she got back.After gathering her resolve, Joslyn headed to the gym just around the corner of their block for her morning workout routine. Upon arrival, she exchanged pleasantries with familiar faces, exchanging nods and smiles with fellow gym-goers and

Gabriel found himself revisiting the scene in his mind as he roamed his apartment, unable to shake the vivid memory of what had happened earlier. After a long day at work with countless meetings running into one another, Gabriel had been about ready to go to bed when he'd heard the loud bang from outside. Worried and cautious, he'd quickly stepped out of his apartment—only to be met with a sight that had caught him by surprise. There, seated before her door, was Joslyn, surrounded by her scattered belongings, resembling fallen leaves in disarray.However, it hadn't quite been the disorderliness of her belongings that had captured Gabriel's attention initially. It’d been the tears streaming down her face, her shoulders shaking with each sob. The contrast between her usual composed demeanor and her current state of vulnerability had been so stark and had struck him deeply.The image of Joslyn in such a state of distress had stirred within Gabriel an overwhelming yet inexplicable sense

The soothing flow of warm water enveloped Joslyn as she stood beneath the shower. As the steam filled the bathroom, her mind drifted to Gabriel, the image of his caring acts towards her over the past few days vivid in her mind.But with each passing moment, her thoughts only deepened her confusion about her feelings for him. Were they just friends, or was there now something more brewing beneath the surface? The line between friendship and something else felt blurred, and Joslyn felt more uncertain.Stepping out of the shower, she wrapped herself in a fluffy towel, her thoughts drifting to the day ahead. She walked to her closet, selecting her gym attire for the day, opting for comfortable spandex gym shorts and a snug sports bra. Joslyn made her way to the kitchen, her mind still lingering on the thoughts of Gabriel. She couldn't shake the nagging question consuming her thoughts; ‘Was he really here to stay or did he just want a repeat of their one-night stand together those years a

As Gabriel pulled into the parking lot of the bar close to his apartment building, exhaustion weighed heavily on his shoulders. The day had been quite grueling, dealing with a particularly indecisive and demanding client who'd seemed determined to test his patience at every chance. All he wanted now was a moment of peace, a quiet, crowdless corner where he could nurse a glass or two of alcohol. But as he approached the entrance, his thoughts drifted to Joslyn, her image vivid in his mind as always. The memory of their kiss lingered, leaving him with a confusing mix of emotions. Did she kiss him out of genuine desire, or was it merely a gesture of gratitude, like she'd said? Gabriel hoped the first was the case. Pushing aside his doubts, he stepped inside the dimly lit bar, sighing in relief at the sight of the few customers in it. The soft murmur of voices and clinking glasses welcomed him as he made his way to the counter.He was quick to gain the bartender’s attention. “Whiskey, p