All Chapters of Once won't hurt : Chapter 1 - Chapter 7

Mira Three months had slipped by in a blur. Today made it exactly three months since I last saw Henry’s face on my phone screen—three months without a single call from the bastard. I’d begun to heal from the heartbreak. It had taken a toll on me in more ways than I could count, nearly breaking me mentally. I stood in front of the mirror, staring hard at my reflection. I saw a woman who was smart at everything—except when it came to making the simple, better decision to walk away from a toxic relationship. I’d been blind to lies that had been staring me right in the face. Finally, I did something difficult: I moved out of the apartment Henry had gotten me. It was the only way to avoid the memories that might drag me back into depression. It hurt to leave—this was the place where most of my visions for the future had begun to take shape, and I’d loved it. Almost everything in it—appliances, furniture, household items—he’d bought for me. Henry had always claimed he wanted me comfor

Ken She walked out with that same irritated look she always tried to hide, leaving me craving more of her scent. The magazine in my hand was only camouflage—a reason to linger until every employee left. I hadn’t noticed she was still around until then. Stressed, yet still radiating that smart-woman aura. Mira detested me in every conversation, and I couldn’t figure out why. I’d caught glimpses of the real her, but with me she was all calculation. The company’s reports didn’t lie. Since she joined, productivity had spiked. She was exceptional—a force behind Gigs’ rising success. But my presence here wasn’t as simple as I let on. Posing as an intern was just a façade Bernard and I agreed on. In truth, I’d come from Voughan Digital’s head office to train staff and evaluate employees. Most hadn’t impressed me. Some were bossy with the “new intern,” others unhelpful. If I were sentimental, I’d lump Mira in with them—but I knew better. What Bernard didn’t know was a more deeper truth

Mira The sharp ringing of my phone woke me up. I rubbed my fingers across my eyes and blinked at who could be calling at such an hour. I glanced at the alarm clock on my bedside table—it was past three in the morning. I needed sleep. I had drunk a lot alone yesterday. The screen only displayed numbers, no name. I was skeptical about answering such a call, but I did anyway, just like yesterday. “Hello… Anyone?” My throat felt suddenly dry. I had an eerie feeling because I could clearly hear the rustling of things from the other end. The silence was deliberate. I kept my mouth shut. It was the only wise thing I could do. The other end went quiet, the rustling had stopped. I felt anxious and distraught. I sat up waiting, waiting for a sound, but it was too quiet. Then I heard a sharp breath before the line went dead. What just happened? I quickly checked and saw it was the same number that had called me the previous day. This wasn’t a client—business could wait. I suddenly felt appre