ã€ŠPaper Flowersã€‹


 Chapter 1

    The yellowish lights of the Christmas tree in the corner of the caf¨¦ started flashing. ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    ¡°I said I want to break up,¡± he replied, a grimace spread across his handsome face.

    Her mouth was spread in an ¡°o¡± shape. ¡°But why?¡± she asked.

    Was I really alone in thinking this was a serious relationship? She wondered.

    ¡°Daphne.¡± The man said her name as though he couldn¡¯t give two shits about its owner. ¡°Do you understand that all you do is work?¡±

    She clenched her jaw, looking through the window. Even though it was a couple of days before Christmas, there was only a dusting of snow on the ground. Last minute shoppers were rushing around in the strip mall area, packages in hand.

    ¡°I work so that we can have a better future together,¡± Daphne replied, turning back to the man. She looked down at the still steaming cup of hot cocoa in front of her.

    He didn¡¯t even give me a chance to get settled in my seat, she thought. Was he always this much of a dick?

    ¡°How does your job have anything to do with me?¡± he asked, crossing his arms in front of her.

    ¡°Gary,¡± she said, trying to his say his name in the same tone of voice that he had just said hers in. Her voice cracked instead.

    She bit her lip, feeling the blood rush to her face. How I wish the floor would just swallow me whole right now, she thought, wincing at the sound of her voice.

    ¡°How does my job not affect you?¡± she asked, trying to reason with him. ¡°You¡¯re always asking me for extra money to cover your bills.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t live together,¡± Gary replied coolly. ¡°I can always find another way to pay for things.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to get a job?¡± Daphne asked him, raising her eyebrows. ¡°Or did you find another way to earn money and that¡¯s why you¡¯re dumping me?¡±

    Daphne looked up and met his eyes. He was grimacing, clearly annoyed. She took a sip out of the hot cocoa in her mug. The song on the radio changed to a song about all of the gifts someone had gotten for Christmas.

    Gary¡¯s frown deepened, and she could tell that he was grinding his teeth together. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said, his palm hitting the table with a soft slam. ¡°I¡¯ve spent so much time waiting for you to get off work, every single day of the last six months, that I ended up meeting someone else.¡±

    Daphne felt her upper lip pull back from her teeth. ¡°She¡¯s going to take care of you in the same way I have?¡± she asked, her stomach rolling at the thought. After all I did for him?

    ¡°She¡¯s going to take care of me better than you have,¡± Gary snarled. ¡°You act as if money was all this relationship needed. How shallow of you.¡±

    She shook her head. Is he serious right now?

    ¡°So, you are telling me that while I was working my ass off and taking this relationship seriously, you¡¯ve been off gallivanting with some other woman,¡± Daphne said. ¡°Did you ever even try to get a job or were you just mooching off of me?¡± Her breaths were heavy, as if she had been running. Emotions that she had been holding back for months bubbled up to the surface.

    Gary scowled at her, his green eyes crinkling up in the corners. ¡°Obviously I was seriously looking for a job. You wouldn¡¯t understand how difficult it is to find a job in this economy,¡± he whined. Gary took a giant gulp of his hot chocolate.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Daphne glowered at him. ¡°You¡¯re not going to say anything else about how you found this new woman?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± Gary replied, dismissing her with a hand wave. ¡°It is not as though you¡¯re my girlfriend or anything like that.¡±

    ¡°I can still change,¡± Daphne protested, her heart cracking a little under the heat of his barb.

    ¡°Now that we¡¯re talking about this, I can take on less work and spend more time with you.¡±

    Gary¡¯s upper lip curled up at her, a look of contempt filling his face. ¡°After I waited around to spend time with you for six months?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s too late. You¡¯ll only change for the short-term. People don¡¯t change.¡±

    Daphne flinched at his words. I can still at least try, she thought. She searched his face for a trace of the man that she had once known¡­or thought she had once known anyway. When did things change? She wondered. Surely it wasn¡¯t always this way.

    ¡°All I¡¯ve done is give you what you¡¯ve asked for,¡± she stated. ¡°If you didn¡¯t ask for more of my time, how was I supposed to know that you weren¡¯t feeling satisfied?¡±

    Gary shrugged at her. ¡°I dunno. That sounds like a ¡®you¡¯ problem.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± she snapped. ¡°How am I supposed to give you what you want if you don¡¯t tell me?¡± Her voice was getting shrill, and people in the caf¨¦ were starting to look over at them with curious glances. Daphne swallowed hard and smoothed her thick, black hair in an effort to compose yourself.

    ¡°I told you what I wanted,¡± Gary replied. ¡°A serious partnership where we treat each other as equals. You¡¯ve only given me things I don¡¯t want.¡± He took another big swig of his hot cocoa, and then continued. ¡°You¡¯re clearly the one in control of this relationship. You act as though you want me to be a dependent baby on you.¡± He shook his head, grimacing at her. ¡°And you¡¯ve basically ignored me for six months. What do you expect?¡±

    Daphne took a deep, shaky breath, letting out super-heated air. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you misconstrued our relationship that way, but I¡¯m sorry. Is there any way you can find it in your heart to give me a second chance? I can do everything in my power to change.¡±

    Gary rubbed his nose, a look of derision coming back onto his face. ¡°I already told you, it¡¯s too late. You can find some other guy to change for.¡± He stood up and took one last big gulp out of his cocoa mug, slammed it down on the table and walked away.

    Daphne turned her head to look out the window again. Besides of the lack of snow, the people who were laughing and smiling, their arms full of shopping bags and gifts, could have been straight out of a Christmas movie.

    She saw Gary leave the caf¨¦, still looking annoyed and fiddling with his cell phone. Her jaw clenched at the sight of his retreating back. I will not cry, she thought. She took a deep, shaky breath, and took another sip of her cocoa. Instead of tasing sweet, the drink tasted sour and bitter. She looked down at the mug to see how much was left. It was still half-full.

    Did he really have to break up with me two days before Christmas? She wondered. I was looking forward to spending some time with him, and now I¡¯m just going to be¡­alone.

    She bit down on her lip hard, nearly drawing blood, trying to swallow down her emotions. Even though they hadn¡¯t been together all that long, it felt as though she¡¯d had a hole drilled straight through her chest.

    She took another swig of the hot cocoa, which was still lukewarm and sour. I might as well finish it if I have to pay for it, she thought. Her lips turned downwards, as she swallowed the liquid, holding back a choke. She looked into the mug. One more big gulp and I¡¯m done. She chugged it down and sighed heavily.

    I should have known this day was going to be absolutely shit from the get-go, she thought, as she stood up and walked to the register. I should have just stayed in bed when my alarm did not go off this morning.

    ¡°Can I cash out, please?¡± Daphne asked the young lady who was manning the register.

    ¡°Certainly!¡± she replied brightly, her smile a contrast to the darkness that Daphne was feeling. ¡°Two hot cocoas is¡­¡± She was typing the items into her register.

    ¡°Two?¡± Daphne asked. ¡°He didn¡¯t pay for his?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am,¡± the young lady replied meekly, looking a bit scared. ¡°He did not.¡±

    That fucking bastard had to just keep taking until the very end, didn¡¯t he? Daphne thought. And he says that I wasn¡¯t giving him what he wanted.

    ¡°Your total is going to be seven dollars and thirteen cents,¡± the worker told her.

    Daphne sighed heavily and took a ten dollar bill out of her wallet. The worker gave her the change, and Daphne put a one-dollar tip in the jar. The girl seemed to brighten up a bit again after she did.

    ¡°Have a nice evening and a Merry Christmas!¡± the worker stated in her bubbly tone as Daphne opened the door to leave.

    Neither of those things will be true for me, Daphne thought, bitterly. If only I could have an ounce of this girl¡¯s attitude toward life.

    ¡°You too,¡± Daphne replied dully, shutting the caf¨¦¡¯s door behind her.

 Chapter 2

    ~Earlier that day~

    Fiona peeked over Daphne¡¯s cubicle wall. Her bright red eyebrows looked perfectly manicured as usual. Her green-blue eyes met Daphne¡¯s brown ones. ¡°Daphne,¡± she said in her nasally, snotty voice. ¡°Trevor is looking for you.¡±

    Daphne put her purse down and groaned. ¡°I¡¯ve barely just gotten here,¡± she muttered softly to herself.

    ¡°The rest of us have already been here for forty-five minutes,¡± Fiona shot back as she sat back down on the other side of their shared cubicle wall.

    Daphne rolled her eyes in the new privacy of her cubicle. As if she, or anyone in this office, works as hard as I do, Daphne thought.

    She sighed and took off her outerwear, trying to move as quickly as possible. He¡¯s probably going to rip my head off for being late, she thought. As if I don¡¯t work sixty hours most weeks.

    She stood up and took a deep breath. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Fiona smirking haughtily. Is she up to no good again? Daphne wondered. Her chest felt as though a lead weight was crushing it. Daphne did her best to shake off her emotions. Let¡¯s just get this over with, she thought. I will feel better once I get started on my work for the day.

    She pumped her fist at herself, doing everything she could to ignore the lead from her chest sinking into her stomach. She walked over to Trevor¡¯s office and paused before she knocked on the door.

    She could hardly breathe. She clutched the neckline of the sweater she was wearing and then knocked softly on the door.

    She squeezed her eyes shut and then heard her boss¡¯s voice saying, ¡°Come in!¡± If she didn¡¯t know better, she would assume that Trevor was a pleasant man based on his voice alone.

    Daphne tried to swallow as she opened the door to his office. It got stuck in her throat because it was dry and patchy.

    ¡°Ah, Ms. Woods,¡± Trevor said. ¡°Please shut the door behind you.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± she croaked, thankful that she was able to make any noise at all.

    ¡°I saw that you were late today,¡± Trevor began as soon as the latch clicked into place.

    Daphne squeezed her eyes shut. Why did my alarm have to fail today of all days?

    She turned around, opening her eyes to look at her moldy boss. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry about that,¡± she said. ¡°My alarm malfunctioned, and I came as quickly as I could.¡±

    ¡°I think that someone of your experience level ought to know by this point how essential it is for you to be on time,¡± Trevor replied, crossing his stick arms.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, I do,¡± she replied, the words tumbling out of her mouth without much thought. ¡°It won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    Please, please, please, just take my apology and leave me alone today, she thought. I do not want to deal with this. I have work to get done!

    ¡°Fiona also informed me that you were supposed to have the business plan for the new printers for our office drafted up by this morning as well.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s stomach fluttered, and she felt herself blinking rapidly. ¡°The um¡­what?¡± she asked.

    ¡°The business plan for the new printers for our office?¡± Trevor said patronizingly.

    Does this dumb ass even know what he¡¯s saying? Daphne wondered. A business plan for new printers? Surely, he¡¯s joking.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Daphne said, looking down at the carpet. ¡°It must have slipped my mind this week. I¡¯ve been in meetings pretty much all week for all of the other projects I¡¯m working on, so¡­¡±

    Trevor slammed his palm onto his desk. ¡°So instead of coming in early to finish it, you chose to come in late?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know that ¡®chose¡¯ is the correct word¡­¡± Daphne began.

    Trevor dramatically got up out of his chair, swinging his arms wide open. ¡°Regardless, I don¡¯t have a business plan to send right now, do I?¡± he asked. ¡°Are you going to stay late and get it done tonight?¡±

    Is this some kind of joke? Daphne wondered. As if I don¡¯t already have a mountain of work to do today?Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°But sir,¡± she protested. ¡°Tomorrow is Christmas Eve.¡±

    ¡°All of the more reason to do everything in your power to get it done today,¡± Trevor pointed out.

    Daphne pressed her fingers to her temple, holding back a heavy sigh. I¡¯m certain Fiona never told me anything about this, she thought. Which just means she probably dumped it on me this morning to get out of it. She chewed on her lips. Fucking typical Fiona.

    She looked up at Trevor who was scowling at her. ¡°Well?¡± he prompted.

    Is there any way I can get out of this? She thought. Am I seriously going to have to postpone my plans with Gary even more because of Fiona?

    Trevor¡¯s face was turning beet red. Daphne knew that if she waited much longer to respond, she was going to end up getting screamed at.

    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­¡± she choaked out, tightening her grip around the wrist of her other hand. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± she swallowed hard.

    It¡¯ll be fine, she thought. Gary and I are going to spend Christmas together. He¡¯ll forgive me for having to push back our plans tonight.

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Trevor replied. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have a lot to get done, so go on ahead,¡± he added, clapping his hands together.

    Daphne closed her eyes, feeling her stomach sink from the weight of her decision. ¡°Thank you for understanding sir,¡± she said. She opened her eyes and turned to leave.

    She left his office, gently closing the door behind her and then grit her teeth. What the fuck? She finally allowed herself to think. Why is Fiona throwing me under the bus for something I didn¡¯t do that she didn¡¯t even ask me to do?

    Daphne let out a short sigh and strode over to Fiona¡¯s cubicle. ¡°Can we talk?¡± she asked Fiona. Daphne¡¯s jaw was working hard, and she was doing everything she could in her power to keep her voice steady.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Fiona replied with a little smile and turning in her chair. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember you asking me to put together a business plan at all,¡± Daphne said, crossing her arms tightly. ¡°Why did you tell Trevor that I was supposed to have it done by today?¡±

    Fiona looked at Daphne innocently. ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked. ¡°Is that why he called you to his office?¡±

    It took everything in Daphne to hold back a growl. ¡°Why yes, it is,¡± she replied.

    ¡°What is it a business case for?¡± Fiona asked, tapping a single finger on her lips as if she was searching through her memories. Daphne wasn¡¯t sure if she was imagining it or not, but it looked like Fiona was having to hold back a smile.

    ¡°A business plan¡­for new printers?¡± Daphne asked, again, realizing how stupid the words sounded.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Fiona exclaimed. ¡°That business plan.¡± She swung her pointer finger up into the air next to her head.

    ¡°Yes, that¡­business plan,¡± Daphne answered, furrowing her brows and shaking her head slightly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember me telling you about it on Monday?¡± Fiona asked, her face turning serious as she leaned forward towards Daphne.

    Daphne frowned. ¡°When would you have had a chance to tell me about it on Monday?¡± she asked. ¡°I was in meetings from seven am to six pm.¡±

    ¡°It was over lunch, don¡¯t you remember?¡± Fiona scoffed, leaning back in her chair.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten a lunch break in a long time¡­¡± Daphne replied, crossing her arms and giving Fiona a sideways glance. ¡°There¡¯s no way you would have told me about it over lunch.¡±

    Fiona narrowed her eyes. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re just not remembering?¡± she asked, pursing her lips.

    ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t ask someone else?¡± Daphne asked.

    ¡°It was definitely you,¡± Fiona replied with a patronizing smile.

    Daphne¡¯s jaw tightened. She¡¯s so full of shit, she thought. But there¡¯s not a whole lot I can do since I already told Trevor I¡¯d take care of it.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Daphne replied, trying to keep her voice level. ¡°Is there anything you can share with me about what is needed for the business plan? I don¡¯t know anything about it.¡±

    Fiona¡¯s demeanor switched back to her usual fake, happy-go-lucky self. ¡°I can send you the printers we are supposed to write about in the plan,¡± she said, spinning around in her chair and pulling open her web browser up on one of the monitors in front of her.

    ¡°Do you know how many we might need?¡± Daphne asked. ¡°And will you send me the link to that web page?¡±

    ¡°Sending it right now,¡± Fiona replied, opening up the company¡¯s instant messaging platform on a second monitor and sending the link to Daphne. ¡°And I believe there is supposed to be information in the plan about what it would take to get three printers and compare that to what it would be like if we were able to get seven.¡±

    Daphne gritted her teeth. There was no way Fiona had ever told her about this. It was going to take a significant period of time to compare three versus seven printers. The business proposal alone could take most of her day up.

    It¡¯s not even my job as a project manager to deal with these kinds of tasks, Daphne thought, one of her fists clenching. This is far out of my scope of work.

    She swallowed her emotions. ¡°And where might these printers be placed?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Our department,¡± Fiona replied, turning back around, ¡°And in the continuous improvement department¡¯s area as well.¡±

    ¡°So just this floor then?¡± Daphne asked, some of the pressure in her chest loosening.

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Fiona replied with a bright smile.

    Daphne nodded sharply. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know if I have any other questions then,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Fiona chirped back.

    Daphne took a deep breath, to steady herself and sat back down in her chair in the cubicle right next to Fiona. She couldn¡¯t hold back a sigh as she massaged her temples, letting out another heavy breath. Daphne picked up her phone and saw it was already nine thirty. She suppressed the urge to exhale again at the time.

    She opened up her text messages to Gary and typed to him.

    Hey. Something has come up at work. Any chance we could meet at 7:30 instead? So sorry. Miss you.

    Much to her surprise, he saw her message right away and responded.

    Seriously? Why does this always happen? Why are you always putting me off?

    A lump formed in Daphne¡¯s throat. I should have known better than to think he would be okay with this, she thought.

    I¡¯m sorry, she replied. It¡¯s urgent.

    Fine, he answered.

    Daphne took a big gulp of water out of her plain, silver water bottle, but the lump in her throat did not disappear.

 Chapter 3

    Against her will, Daphne was dragged out for the team luncheon. Fiona, of all the people, had grabbed Daphne¡¯s arm at the last moment, insisting on her coming. Daphne had tried to fight back, but despite her rail thin frame, Fiona was stronger than Daphne gave her credit for.

    As the team had walked down the street with Daphne trailing behind in the back, heading towards whatever restaurant Trevor had chosen, she overheard him say, ¡°This is a Christmas gift for our project management team!¡±

    No one had been paying attention to her, so she couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. A better gift would have been to relieve our workload for the holidays, she thought. If anything, it seems as though he¡¯s been ramping it up.

    They turned and started filing into a kitschy looking place with bright white lights, and enormous, colorful blob like chairs. Daphne held back a grimace.

    ¡°How many?¡± the hostess asked Trevor.

    ¡°Fifteen,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Of course,¡± the hostess replied. The restaurant was pretty much deserted. ¡°We can accommodate that. Would you be willing to give us a few minutes to set up a space?¡±

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s no problem at all!¡± Trevor replied, seeming to be in a lax mood at the moment.

    Yet he wasn¡¯t calm for me this morning, Daphne thought. She took a deep breath, wondering how she was going to make it through the luncheon and the day.

    ¡°Do you want to sit together?¡± one of her co-workers, Holly, asked.

    Daphne looked down at the young looking woman. Her hair was full of braids, and she was smiling so broadly up at her.

    Have she and I ever talked before? Daphne wondered. I¡¯m not sure that we have.

    ¡°Umm, sure,¡± Daphne replied with a half-smile.

    ¡°Right this way,¡± the hostess said, coming up to the group.

    ¡°That was some speedy service!¡± Trevor exclaimed.

    Daphne had to hold back a cringe. If only these servers knew what he was really like, she thought.

    The hostess led their group into what looked like it might normally be considered a party room. Fifteen of the artsy, colorful blob chairs had been squeezed around the table, making it nearly impossible to walk around the room.

    ¡°Whoever uses the restroom or gets up the most often should sit closest to the doors,¡± Trevor announced. ¡°That way the rest of us can eat in peace.¡±

    Daphne couldn¡¯t keep the grimace off her face at the comment. Was that really necessary? She wondered. What a dick thing to say.

    She filed into the room behind her colleagues, Holly behind her. The hostess place a bundle of menus at the end of the table as everyone sat down. ¡°Your server willbe with you shortly,¡± she said with a small smile.

    Trevor had been the first one in, with Fiona next to him. As he sat down, he announced, ¡°Make sure whatever you choose on the menu, that it¡¯s under fifteen dollars.¡±

    There were groans from the team members as Daphne sat down. Of course there¡¯s a limit, she thought, frowning. The menus were beginning to be passed down, and Daphne soon got her hands on one. She looked it over and immediately noticed that there were only four items that were fifteen dollars or less.

    She shook her head, holding back a sigh. Shouldn¡¯t he have found a more inexpensive place if he was going to give us a budget limit? She wondered.

    ¡°What the hell, Trevor?¡± Fiona whined as she looked over the menu. ¡°There are only four things that are within the budget.¡±

    ¡°Tough luck,¡± he replied with a flirty smile. ¡°If you get promoted to a manger or a director, you¡¯re allowed to spend more on yourself for company meals.¡±

    Fiona rolled her eyes and grumbled at his comment.

    So, he¡¯s just straight up admitting that he came here for himself, Daphne thought. What a prick.

    ¡°What are you thinking about getting?¡± Holly asked on Daphne¡¯s right.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she replied, eyeballing her way through the four options. None of them particularly appealed to her. ¡°You?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking maybe the Caesar salad,¡± she replied with a small giggle. ¡°There¡¯s not very many options that I like,¡± she admitted.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Daphne raised her eyebrows and smiled. ¡°Same,¡± she admitted. Her stomach soured at the sound of the Cesar salad as well. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll get the ¡®Modern Grilled Cheese,¡¯ and ask for it without the tomato,¡± Daphne replied, answering Holly¡¯s initial question.

    ¡°Not a fan of tomatoes?¡± Daphne¡¯s co-worker, Landon, on her left, asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Daphne admitted with a small, shy smile.

    ¡°You know they¡¯re mostly water right?¡± Landon asked. He gestured to the glasses of water in front of them.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Daphne replied softly. ¡°They just irritate my stomach a bit.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Landon replied with an emphasized nod. ¡°That¡¯s understandable.¡±

    ¡°Are you still enjoying the work, Landon?¡± Holly asked from Daphne¡¯s right.

    ¡°I love the work,¡± he replied, a bright white toothed grin spreading across his face.

    ¡°That¡¯s so good to hear!¡± Holly exclaimed, clasping her hands together and smiling warmly at him.

    ¡°And Ms. Woods was a fabulous trainer,¡± he replied, his hazel brown eyes catching Daphene¡¯s own.

    She smiled a little at him, not really sure what to say in response. ¡°I¡¯m glad to have been helpful,¡± she replied.

    The waiter came and took everyone¡¯s order. Of course, Trevor ordered something that was nearly two times what he had given everyone else as a budget. Daphne had to hold back an eyeroll.

    ¡°And just to let you all know, since you¡¯re such a big party, it will probably be a little extra time for the kitchen to get everything ready,¡± the waiter said. ¡°Is that alright?¡± he asked, nodding rapidly and looking around the small party room.

    Shit, Daphne thought. I should have just stayed at the office. It¡¯s going to take so long to get everything done, and this restaurant is going to be wasting my precious time. She bit her tongue hard, but didn¡¯t taste blood.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s perfectly fine,¡± Trevor replied with a wide grin. ¡°No problem at all.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful,¡± the waiter said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll get that order placed then and will be back with some pitchers of water!¡±

    Daphne¡¯s hands had slowly become fists. Why did I let Fiona drag me here? She asked herself. A fifteen-dollar meal was not worth sacrificing my afternoon for. I could have walked back when no one was looking.

    ¡°So,¡± Holly said on her right, lowering her voice. ¡°How did it go in Trevor¡¯s office this morning? I was surprised that I didn¡¯t hear yelling.¡±

    Daphne grimaced. ¡°I think he almost yelled at me,¡± she replied.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Landon asked on her left. ¡°So many people are late all the time and he doesn¡¯t say a word to them.¡±

    Daphne knew exactly to whom Landon was referring. She glanced up at the red head, who was laughing at something Trevor was saying, despite the fact that only a few minutes prior, she had been whining at him.

    Daphne looked down at her hands and the napkin in her lap. ¡°Apparently earlier this week, Fiona asked me to put together a business case for why we need more printers in the department and on the floor of the office in general.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Holly asked. Daphne looked over at her face, and it was clearly one of disgust.

    Daphne¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Oh goodness, she thought. Why did I say that? She¡¯s going to think I¡¯m incompetent now.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Landon asked. Daphne looked over at him and his face mirrored Holly¡¯s.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have even had time to say yes or no to that this week,¡± Holly said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe how busy you¡¯ve been.¡±

    Daphne felt her eyes widen as she looked back over at Holly. ¡°Right?¡± she heard herself asking.

    ¡°Sounds like she was just foisting her work onto you,¡± Landon agreed.

    Daphne nodded. ¡°I felt the same. Apparently, it was due this morning though, so I didn¡¯t have much choice except to agree to write it.¡± She looked over at where Fiona was batting her eyelashes at Trevor.

    ¡°He¡¯ll give her a free pass for almost anything,¡± Holly said, her voice sounding annoyed. ¡°And we all have to do extra work because of it.¡±

    ¡°Simp,¡± Landon said. ¡°Real men only simp for a woman that is already theirs.¡±

    Daphne looked over at him and noticed that his upper lip was pulled back away from his teeth.

    Daphne looked back over at Holly who was looking back at her. Holly¡¯s eyes were full of pity. ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re bogged down with tasks for your actual projects, too. You¡¯ve worked late every day this week, and tomorrow is Christmas Eve. No one deserves to work late the day before Christmas Eve.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s eyes widened at Holly¡¯s words. No one had ever asked if she¡¯d needed a hand before. This is unexpected, she thought.

    ¡°You¡¯re willing?¡± she asked. ¡°Are you sure you have time to help?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Holly said with a small smile. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have offered if I didn¡¯t think that I would have time to help.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much,¡± Daphne said, breathing out heavily, as the tension in her chest started to loosen.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Holly replied. ¡°We are supposed to be a team after all.¡±

    ¡°Holly is right,¡± Landon agreed. ¡°And for the record, I know that I¡¯m still pretty new, but if you have anything that I can work on, I¡¯m also happy to help.¡±

    Daphne put her hand over her heart. ¡°Thank you both so much,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m drowning, to be completely honest.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Landon said.

    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Holly agreed.

    I might be able to get done earlier than I thought, so I can see Gary sooner, Daphne thought, her heart fluttering in her chest. He¡¯s going to be so excited.

    The waiter then began bringing out all of the meals, and handing them to be handed down the table. A few minutes later, Daphne bit into her grilled cheese sandwich. It was hot in some places, and lukewarm in others.

    Of course, Trevor would like a mediocre place like this, Daphne thought, choking down each bite. She reached for her water and found an empty glass instead.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re the reason my water cup is empty,¡± Landon said from her left.

    ¡°Wha?¡± she asked, covering her mouth, which was still full of the patchy heated bite.

    He gestured at the water cup in her left hand. Daphne felt her eyes widen and she put the cup down. She swallowed the bit. ¡°I haven¡¯t drunk anything yet!¡± she exclaimed.

    She met Landon¡¯s brown, hazel eyes. He was smiling at her. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d drink all of my water and lie about it.¡±

    Daphne couldn¡¯t help but smile back at him. ¡°you¡¯re just pulling my leg aren¡¯t you?¡± she asked.

    ¡°You can clearly see my hands,¡± Landon replied, carefully tapping both of his elbows on the table. ¡°How could I possibly be pulling your leg when my hands are above the table?¡±

    Daphne let out a small laugh. She was certain that Landon was just trying to cheer her up, and it was helping.

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she said, grabbing her water cup with her right hand. ¡°I was just so thirsty I had to drink yours first.¡± She took a big gulp of her water before taking another bite of the grilled cheese.

    Maybe coming wasn¡¯t a mistake like I thought it was, she thought, as she smiled at Landon, while he smiled back at her. This day can only get better from here, she thought.

 Chapter 4

    Despite the help that Landon and Holly gave her, Daphne still found herself working late. Their help had been excellent and had maybe taken two to three hours of work off her plate. But it still wasn¡¯t enough.

    She sighed, taking a quick glance at her cellphone to see what time it was. Six thirty already, she thought. Okay, I can probably work for another half hour and then I¡¯ll head straight to the caf¨¦ to meet up with Gary.

    She nodded her head at herself, and put her phone away, going back to her tasks at hand. It¡¯s unfortunate that I¡¯m still going to have so much to tackle when I come back to work after Christmas, she thought. How miserable.

    But without Landon and Holly it would have been way worse, she added, typing on her computer. Her heart warmed a little at the thought of them. I would have never guessed I would have such kind allies on my side. It has always felt as though no one at this company was on my side. I would have been here all night without their help.

    Daphne switched her focus to putting together a slideshow for one of the projects she had been helping to manage. As she was copying and pasting the text the project director had asked her to put into the deck, her mind started drifting to Gary.

    I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re going to spend our first Christmas together this weekend, she thought. I really hope that this is still just the beginning of our time together. Her heart felt warm and fuzzy in her chest. I really like him. He¡¯s so sweet.

    Her mind drifted to when the two of them had first met. It was at the same caf¨¦ they usually used as their meet up spot, only a few, easy, walkable blocks from her apartment complex.

    Similar to the morning she¡¯d had earlier, the day that she¡¯d met Gary, she¡¯d also been having a very difficult start to her day.

    And then, to make matters worse, I tripped over that college student¡¯s laptop cable, she thought, shaking her head at herself. My coffee ended up all over the floor¡­ She giggled a little, thinking of that moment.

    She had been frustrated that she was going to have to clean up coffee, go back to her apartment, change her clothes¡­tears had pricked her eyes at the idea that she wasn¡¯t even going to have her favorite coffee at work to get through her day.

    And that was when I saw his hands beginning to clean up the mess I had made, she thought, a smile blossoming across her face. I looked up, and there had been his cloudy colored blue eyes. Her heart skipped a beat at the memory, as she copied some more text into the slide deck.

    She knew she would never forget that he had cleaned up the majority of her spill that day. He had also ordered her another coffee as she ran home and changed. When she made it back to the coffee shop, he¡¯d been standing outside waiting for her, his hair shining under the early morning June sun. Her heart had also shone in that moment, in a way that it hadn¡¯t in such a long time.

    He asked for my number, she thought, gently chewing on her lip. And we agreed to meet up at the caf¨¦ again.

    Over the following two and a half weeks, they¡¯d met up at the caf¨¦ around eight times, and as they saw each other more, Daphene¡¯s heart became more and more excited to see him. It had been years since her last romantic relationship, and at twenty-six years old, most of the people she knew had been getting married, not starting relationships.

    Their six-month anniversary was on Christmas, and Daphne knew that she would probably never be able to forget when Gary had asked her to be his girlfriend. It as the first time that he had run late. Usually he was there before her. As the minutes had ticked by, she had gotten more and more nervous that he had stood her up. He had shown up, ten minutes late, a bouquet of flowers in his hands.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he had said, a lopsided grin on his face, and his hair standing up a bit from the heat outside. ¡°I just really wanted to get you flowers.¡± He handed them to her, and he sat down, the coffee that Daphne had gotten him in front of him.

    ¡°They¡¯re beautiful,¡± she had replied, her heart sinking into her chest. She had pretended to smell them, everything inside of her screaming in protest, feeling ill at the scent of them.

    ¡°I wanted to ask¡­¡± Gary had looked sheepish. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to be my girlfriend?¡±

    Daphne had looked up at him, the sea of white flowers fading from her vision, her heart soaring.

    He feels the same way, she had thought.

    ¡°I would love to,¡± she replied, smiling goofily at him, her heart skipping a beat.

    It was the first time in my life that I¡¯ve actually liked flowers, Daphne thought in the present, carefully adjusting some images in the slide show. I figured I¡¯d never have a reason to like flowers.

    It had been about a week after they had gotten together that Gary had gotten laid off from his job, and things had gotten tough for him. Daphne started buying all of the coffees and lending him money from time to time.

    She smiled at her computer. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s only a matter of time before he finds something and brings me flowers again, she thought, her heart feeling light at the thought. Though, I don¡¯t mind him relying on me so much, she added. It at least makes me feel a bit better about missing out on time with him to work late.

    She glanced down at the clock on her computer as she finished the slideshow and sent it off to the project director. Her heart dropped, and her mouth fell agape at the time the clock said.

    Shit, she thought. I¡¯m late to see Gary.

    It was seven forty-five.

    Daphne began closing down her computer and called Gary, putting her phone on speaker phone, so that she could continue getting ready to leave while she was calling him.

    It¡¯s going to take me another fifteen minutes to get home, Daphne thought while audibly groaning. He¡¯s going to be pissed.

    The phone abruptly went to voicemail. Daphne ended the call. What the hell? She thought. Did he just reject my call?

    Her heart that had just been soaring over the joyful moments that she and Gary had created was now sinking in her chest. Her stomach was souring.

    I¡¯ll just finish getting ready first, she thought, and then I¡¯ll call him again. Maybe he¡¯s in the bathroom¡­or something.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    She swallowed hard at whatever that something might be and began packing up her belongings and putting on her outerwear again. Just don¡¯t overthink it, she tried to convince herself. Still, the doubt lingered in her mind.

    She grabbed her purse and walked over to the elevator, hitting the ¡°down¡± button. It only took seconds before the elevator doors opened for her and she pressed the button for the ground floor.

    She tapped her fingers on her leg, hoping that they typically slow elevator would speed up a little bit so that she could attempt to call Gary again.

    Once the elevator doors opened, she stepped out and dialed him again. It quickly went to voicemail as she was walking out of the office building¡¯s doors into the cold, windy night.

    Shit, she thought. He isn¡¯t just pissed, he¡¯s furious. She looked at her phone. It was already seven fifty.

    As she got to her car, she felt her phone vibrate with a text message. She put her bag in the passenger seat and got in on the driver¡¯s side before she read the message from Gary.

    You missed our date, it said. There was a second one, immediately after that said, Let¡¯s meet at eight forty-five. Same place.

    Daphne swallowed hard. She wasn¡¯t quite sure what to make of his words. He didn¡¯t seem all that upset, but there were definitely darker undertones to his first text, and the fact that he had rejected her calls. Twice.

    It¡¯s not my fault, she thought, running one of her hands through her hair. I didn¡¯t have a choice. I had to work late.

    Sighing, she sent a text back that said, Okay. She turned the car on, hoping the heat would get going quickly and ease the chill she was feeling in her heart.

    I guess I¡¯ll go home and see Tanpopo for a little while, she thought, driving away from work.

    ~

    Daphne put her keys into her apartment door, and heard Tanpopo mewling on the other side of it. Her heart felt light at hearing his voice. At least someone is happy to see me today, she thought.

    She opened the door in front of her, and slipped in, Tanpopo curling around her legs. He looked up at her, meeting her eyes with his green yellow ones.

    ¡°I¡¯m home, Tanpopo,¡± she said, looking down at him with a smile. She squatted down, and wrapped her arms around him. ¡°I¡¯m so glad to see you, too,¡± she said, hugging him tightly and then scratching under his chin to help appease him.

    He creaked at her, his little meow turning a bit high pitched at the end. It sounded like he was asking a question.

    ¡°My day was absolutely shit,¡± she told him as he headbutted her hand. ¡°And I think that Gary is really angry with me now, too,¡± she added.

    Tanpopo squeaked at her again, looking at her innocently, with his big, round gemstone-like eyes. His nose was little and pink, and his ears were fluffy and black. He put one little white mittened paw on her thigh. ¡°I don¡¯t want Gary to be angry with me for Christmas,¡± she said. ¡°I want everything to be happy and peaceful.¡± She looked in the direction of her kitchen table, where she ate breakfast every morning. On top of the wood veneered table, sat a small, wrapped package, complete with red and green wrapping paper.

    She sighed, looking down at Tanpopo who was still throwing his body weight against her legs and wrapping his fluffy black tail around her. ¡°I hope that I¡¯ll get a chance to give him his gift on Christmas,¡± she said. ¡°It would be awful to spend Christmas alone again this year.¡±

    Her heart squeezed in her chest, and her stomach felt like it was starting to go sour. ¡°I¡¯m sure Maggie would let me come over,¡± she murmured to herself. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to crash her family¡¯s Christmas again.¡±

    Daphne thought back to when Gary had first invited her to his family¡¯s Christmas get-together. She ahd been incredibly nervous and concerned about meeting his family so soon after they started dating, but Gary had reassured her and told her that they wouldn¡¯t mind. Now, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if those very same plans were in jeopardy.

    And we were going to celebrate our six-month anniversary the day after Christmas¡­she thought, her stomach fluttering. Surely, he¡¯ll forgive me enough not to put those plans at risk, too? She thought.

    Tanpopo mewled at her again, his hot, stinky breath hitting her in the face. ¡°Ugh,¡± she replied back to him. ¡°Come here, ya stinky.¡± She tried to reach for him to pull him into her again, and he managed to get just outside of her reach. He spun around in a circle and meowed at her again, looking as though he was trying to beckon her towards the kitchen.

    ¡°Ah,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°You¡¯re hungry.¡± She let out a heavy breath as she stood up to her full height. Tanpopo yelled at her in the language of his people, seemingly trying to explain to her how excited he was to eat.

    ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m coming,¡± she told me.

    She went into the kitchen and turned on the light so that she¡¯d be able to see him and not accidentally trip over him. Over the course of the day, he seemed to have pushed his wet food bowl to the center of the room, probably trying to clean out every last morsel of food he was able to. Now, he circled around it, shouting at Daphne in anticipation.

    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± she said again, picking the bowl up off the of the floor and washing it. She picked the wet food she had stored for him that morning out of the fridge, and dumped the half that was left in his bowl. She carefully chopped it up and then put it in the microwave to warm it up a little, just like Tanpopo liked it.

    He was now curled up around her legs again, still shouting. She looked over at his dry food bowl and noticed that it was empty.

    ¡°Ah, bud,¡± she said, walking to the cabinet that she stored his food in, and pulling out the dry kibble bag. She walked over to his bowl and added some kibble to it, just as the microwave went off. She sighed and set the kibble bag on the counter, pulling Tanpopo¡¯s meal from the microwave over her stove. She gently put it down in front of him, and he began chowing down heartily, purring a little as he did. She put the dry food away, and noticed the trash needed to go out.

    She pulled the trash bag out, rolling her eyes up towards the ceiling. Ugh, she thought. I feel like I¡¯m always working. It¡¯s like I can never catch a break at all.

    She tied up the old bag, grabbed her keys, and headed out of her apartment, quickly going down the flights of stairs down from the third floor.

    She got outside and let out a huge puff of air that she could see from how cold it had gotten. As she walked towards the dumpster, she noticed tiny little snowflakes coming down.

    Maybe it will be a white Christmas after all, she thought. It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve had a white Christmas that I was convinced that I was never going to see one ever again.

    She threw the bag in to the dumpster and made her way up to her apartment again. Tanpopo had finished his food, and had now jumped into his favorite cat bed, a grey cat hammock that Daphne had placed close to her couch so that she could pet him when he was pretending he didn¡¯t like her.

    ¡°Was it yummy?¡± she asked him as she placed a new bag in the trash can and washed her hands. Tanpopo didn¡¯t respond, but as she turned off the sink, she could hear him happily cleaning himself.

    She smiled. How could I survive without this silly cat? She wondered. He brings me so much happiness. He loves me no matter how late I get home from work, or how many times I make a mistake.

    She looked over at him as he curled up into a little black and white ball in his hammock. If only it took as little to make me happy as it takes Tanpopo, she thought. How much simpler my life would be.

    Daphne looked over at her stove clock, wondering if she would have enough time to feed herself before she had to go to the caf¨¦. Even though she had gotten home just after eight, it was already eight thirty-eight, and walking to the caf¨¦ typically took her about five minutes.

    So nothing for dinner for me, she thought, hearing her stomach growl angrily. At least, not until I get back from meeting with Gary.

    She let out another heavy breath and then nodded sharply. ¡°Alright,¡± she said. ¡°Let¡¯s just go apologize and try to have fun after that.¡±

    She looked over at Tanpopo, tempted to stay at home with the cat. She couldn¡¯t ignore the pit in her stomach that just kept suggesting to her that something was going to go wrong.

    She shook her head at herself, trying to clear her dark thoughts. I¡¯m probably just feeling this way because it¡¯s been such a bad day, she tried to convince herself. The pit stayed in her stomach, not convinced by a few measly words she hadn¡¯t even said aloud.

    She glanced over at the clock. It was eight forty now. There was no more time to debate. It was time to go.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon, Tanpopo,¡± she said as she walked over to the door to her apartment. Tanpopo raised his head off of his hammock bed, and gave Daphne a dirty look, as if he did not want her to leave again.

    ¡°I know,¡± she said, sighing again. ¡°I can¡¯t stay out late, so I promise I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    The cat still looked forlorn as she opened the door. She gave one last look at the plain, sparsely decorated apartment, and her adorable cat, and shut the door behind her.

 Chapter 5

    ~After the break up~

    ¡°I want to break up,¡± Gary¡¯s voice echoed in Daphne¡¯s mind. ¡°I ended up meeting someone else.¡± Daphne was still reeling from Gary¡¯s words as she opened the door to the caf¨¦ and walked out, feeling the door automatically close behind her. She took a quick peek at her cell phone for the time. It was nine pm.

    It only took fifteen minutes for a six-month relationship to end, Daphne thought. Is that how little I meant to him?

    She looked up at the sky, noticing that the cloud cover had gotten thicker since she had taken out the trash and it had started to snow a little at that point. Having just come from a warm building, she shivered and pulled her coat tightly around herself.

    I¡¯m not ready to go home, she thought. Maybe I¡¯ll go to my spot instead.

    She gritted her teeth, still holding back tears, and began walking towards her apartment complex.

    Was that all I meant to him? Daphne caught herself wondering. I wasn¡¯t even good enough for him to not cheat on.

    She thought back to the beginning of their relationship when he had given her flowers, and even when he had helped her clean up her coffee. Did I misinterpret his actions? She couldn¡¯t help but wonder. It is not as though it had been the first time I had received flowers¡­ She shuddered at the memory of bouquets she had held before.

    She looked up again at the gray sky. Or is it the fact that he only gave me a single bouquet of flowers that made them deceptive?

    Daphne walked past her apartment complex, over to a park that was nearby. She heard the sound of the river moving as she got closer and closer to her spot. Daphne carefully walked down the steep incline to a little beach on the river¡¯s shoreline. There were little concrete bricks dotting the small beach amongst the dormant brush.

    I don¡¯t know that I¡¯ve ever been here in the winter, Daphne thought as she sat down on one of the concrete blocks, unclenching her jaw. It¡¯s a lot less private than it is in the summer.

    She watched the river flowing lazily in front of her. I suppose it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been so upset, she thought. I haven¡¯t really needed to come all that much this year.

    She let out a big puff of air, as she felt the corners of her eyes pricking with the tears she¡¯d held back at the caf¨¦.

    Or maybe this whole break up really was because I was neglecting Gary, Daphne thought, feeling a couple of tears sneak out of her eyes. She wiped them away with one of her gloved hands, lest they freeze to her face.

    It¡¯s probably easier to blame Gary for being a bad person than it is to consider what role I may have played in it all, she thought. I figured it was enough to meet with him in my free time and give him money when he needed it.

    Daphne sniffed. They hadn¡¯t gone on very many dates but she¡¯d never pushed the issue after Gary had gotten laid off. Maybe I should have taken him out myself? She wondered. I figured that might make him feel bad. Should I have just been clingier?

    Despite how close she lived to the caf¨¦, Gary had never been to her place, and she had never been to his. Was our relationship too wholesome? She wondered. Did I move at too slow of a pace for him?

    The sky was beginning to drop chunks of snow now, and Daphne¡¯s waterworks turned on. She sobbed, having to hug her legs in order to muffle her cries.

    I just don¡¯t understand what I did wrong, she thought. Why couldn¡¯t he tell me if he was so unhappy with my actions? Why did he have to go find someone else instead?

    She bit her lip, wondering what he must have thought of her. I¡¯m so pathetic, she thought. I thought that we were serious. Yet I¡¯m twenty-six years old and I¡¯ve never had anyone take a relationship with me seriously¡­no matter how I feel.

    She cried loudly, the falling snow dampening the sounds of her tears. I gave him so much money! Why did I do that? She chastised herself. If I had saved that money for myself¡­A million different things she could have done with the money swept through her mind. I¡¯m so foolish, she thought.

    Her mind drifted back to the words they had exchanged at the caf¨¦. I had asked him if his new girl was going to pay for him. Idiot, idiot, idiot!

    ¡°I should have asked for my money back,¡± she mumbled softly to herself. ¡°I should have demanded it.¡±

    Really, though, she thought. I should never have given it to him in the first place.

    ¡°What if he approached me in the first place because he thought I was pathetic?¡± she wondered aloud.

    He wouldn¡¯t have been wrong, she thought in her own head. And he certainly wouldn¡¯t have been the first.

    There¡¯s nothing I can do about it now, though, she thought, her cries starting to subside a bit. It¡¯s over between him and I. I can¡¯t fix or try to save something that no longer exists.

    ¡°Speculating on his motive doesn¡¯t matter either,¡± she told herself. ¡°Maybe he thought I was pathetic. Maybe he didn¡¯t. Either way, I can¡¯t do anything about it now.¡±

    I just need to move forward, she tried to convince her heart internally. I just need to learn my lessons and do better next time. That¡¯s all I can do at this point.

    Much to Daphne¡¯s chagrin, her heart still ached, still feeling as though she was splitting down the middle.

    ¡°Come on,¡± she croaked at herself, looking at the running river in front of her, fresh tears springing to her eyes. ¡°You just need to move on,¡± she said.

    What am I going to do for Christmas now? She wondered, resting her face on her legs again as tears began to fall once more. Maggie is going to be pissed if I call her and ask to join two days before the holiday.

    It sure would have been nice if he had waited until after Christmas to end things, she couldn¡¯t help but think.

    The present that was nicely wrapped in the sparkly green and red wrapping paper on her kitchen table came to mind. She had bought Gary a pair of nice cuff links that she figured he would be able to use when he was interviewing. At least I¡¯ll be able to return those, she thought. Even though it will be a hassle.

    Her tears were calming again, and she took a shaky breath. What would her family think of her if they saw her like this? Outside of work, she was a failure in every single meaning of the word. Her sister Maggie had been married for four years, and already had two children. She had gotten married when she was Daphne¡¯s age. Her younger brother, Oliver, who was two years younger than Daphne, had already been in a serious relationship with someone for five years. Maggie had even told Daphne that Oliver was planning on proposing his girlfriend for Christmas.

    And I can¡¯t even have a stable relationship for an entire year, Daphne thought.

    When it came to work, though she was paid well, and had a moderately prestigious job as a project manager, it still paled in comparison to her older brother, Cy, who had started his own company that was growing very rapidly. At thirty-two years old, though he had yet to build a family, Cy was already far more successful than most people could ever hope to be.

    And while her youngest sister, Viola, was still in high school, she was a budding oil pastel artist. She had already won several awards, even at a national level, and clearly had a bright future ahead of her.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    I¡¯m just nothing in comparison to my family, Daphne thought, rolling her face around on her pants to help dry it. My father would be so ashamed to see me like this.

    Daphne swallowed hard, her lips shaking again at the thought of her beloved, deceased father. If it was anyone she could have counted on to give her guidance at that moment, it was her father.

    She took a deep breath, the cold air entering her lungs, stinging a little and calming her.

    She looked at her watch and let her breath out sharply. Shit, she thought. It was already nine forty-five, and she still hadn¡¯t even eaten dinner yet. She thought of Tanpopo, and how she had promised him she wouldn¡¯t be out too late.

    I need to go home, she thought, standing up quickly off of the concrete block. She watched the river running for a few beats, wishing that the flow could take her problems with it.

    As she turned to climb up the slight incline, she noticed that it had begun to snow heavily. The snow was rapidly piling up, making the short slope far more slippery than it had been when she had descended it.

    Carefully, she pulled herself up the hill and took one quick glance back at the river. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be back in the next couple of days, she thought. She turned away and began her quick walk home.

    ~

    The snow was coming down heavier and more quickly than Daphne had seen in a long time. When I wished for a white Christmas, I didn¡¯t expect this, she thought looking up at the dark sky above her. If this keeps up, I might be spending Christmas alone after all. The wind was beginning to whoosh around her, sending chills down her spine. The snow swirled around with it, and Daphne began to realize this snowstorm could be particularly dangerous. I didn¡¯t hear anything about this on the news, she thought. Where has this weather come from?

    Her phone started vibrating in her pocket, and she pulled it out. It was flashing and notifying her that the weather had become a blizzard warning. Her eyes went wide. What in the world? She wondered. Normally they give at least some sort of information in advance about how bad snowstorms could get.

    She put her phone back into her pocket, tightening her coat around her. She was thankful that she didn¡¯t live too far away. Still, she thought, I am going to take it slow so that I don¡¯t slip and fall. The snow was heavy, slick, and wet. The type that made the movies look like Christmas.

    She kept her eyes on her feet as her mind drifted back to her breakup. Will I ever find someone who will love me for who I am? She couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Or is that too high of an expectation? Do I really have to modify myself to such a great degree to be loved? Or is it that other people just hide parts of themselves from their partners? Will I really have to compromise on who I am just to find someone? Just to not be lonely?

    She sighed heavily, her breath coming out as a powdery white cloud in the snowflake swirling air. How do other people do it? She wondered. How do they find a partner? Where do they find a partner? What am I doing wrong?

    If she didn¡¯t have a hat and gloves on, she knew that she would be pulling at her thick black hair.

    What am I missing? What do I need to change? I don¡¯t want to spend my life alone.

    Her heart clenched. Did I miss my chance by not finding someone in my school days? She thought about Holly, who Daphne estimated to be maybe a year or two older than herself. Landon, on the other hand, was a year younger than her.

    What about them? She wondered. Do they have partners? She couldn¡¯t remember if either of them wore rings on their left hands.

    When I see them again, I should ask, Daphne thought. Maybe they will give me some clues of how I could find someone myself.

    She looked back up at the dark, cloudy sky, the snow now coming down harder. Why is life so difficult? She wondered. Did I do something so wrong to deserve all of this? Is everyone else as lonely as I am? Surely not¡­

    Daphne heard the engine of a car, and quickly glanced at the road nearby, noticing that a smaller car was struggling to get up the slight hill with all of the snow. This came on really quick, she thought again. No one was prepared, not even me. She chewed a little bit on her lower lip. I should try to be careful, she thought. No car would be able to stop if they started slipping and coming at me.

    She turned away from the street, her mind wandering back to the feeling of emptiness she felt inside. She had to clench her jaw in hopes that she wouldn¡¯t start crying all over again. All I want to do is be happy, she thought. Why does that seem harder than it ought to be?

    She breathed heavily, and looked up at her apartment building. I do have Tanpopo, she thought. I¡¯m not completely alone because of him. She grimaced. Though, the past six months, I really haven¡¯t been paying all that much attention to him¡­Daphne¡¯s chest felt tight at the thought. I didn¡¯t even think about getting him a Christmas present, she thought.

    The cuff links, ornately wrapped on her table came to mind. I¡¯ll just return them tomorrow, she decided. And then I¡¯ll get Tanpopo a gift instead. She smiled at the thought.

    For the future, though¡­she thought. I can¡¯t neglect Tanpopo the way that I have been for the last six months. I chose Gary over Tanpopo, and look how that ended for me. She shook her head at herself, tsking. How ironic is it that I¡¯ve been trying to fill my life with the person who abandoned me, while ignoring the most loyal being in my life.

    She nodded sharply at her thoughts. I guess that means going forward, Tanpopo needs to come before anyone else who might come into my life. Whoever I date in the future will just have to understand that Tanpopo is a priority. They will just need to understand, she thought. Even if that lowers the pool of potential partners, I can¡¯t neglect Popo the way I have been.

    Daphne smiled at the apartment building that she was getting close to. Her heart started to grow warm at the thought of Tanpopo, warm and cuddly, snuggled up in his hammock bed, waiting for her to return.

    She thought about how Tanpopo had greeted her when she got home from work, and she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he was going to greet her just the same when she got back from her outing. No matter what changes with me, he¡¯s always so happy to greet me, she thought. He¡¯s always so happy I¡¯m home.

    Her stomach growled loudly, and squeezed hard, reminding her that it had been nearly ten hours since she¡¯d last eaten. She patted her tummy gently, grateful to have an appetite despite having been broken up with. I¡¯ll get you taken care of soon, she promised her stomach.

    Just then, she heard a car engine revving, sounding reckless for the weather. She shook her head. People will be people, she thought. She heard the squealing of breaks, as the world around her got brighter from headlights that were pointed¡­at her.

    She swiveled her head to turn and see a truck that was coming straight at her. She didn¡¯t have time to react or jump out of the way before the truck slammed into her, crunching the lower half of her body against a utility pole.

    She heard a scream, and wondered if it was her own, because in the next moment, she was nearly unable to breathe from the excruciating pain she was in. She couldn¡¯t feel her legs, and the stomach that had been growling only moments earlier seemed to be cut off from her brain.

    In front of her, she saw the snow that had stuck to the ground turning bright red with blood coming from her head.

    Inches from her nose, somehow still alive and having been revealed from the accident, was a bright, happy yellow, chrysanthemum.

    For the first time in a long time, she heard her mother¡¯s voice. ¡°It¡¯s traditional to bring some kinds of mums to funerals in the fall and winter,¡± her mother had lectured her, when Daphne had come to her father¡¯s funeral empty handed a couple of years earlier. ¡°The most common colors are white and yellow,¡± her mother¡¯s voice continued in her mind. ¡°White signifies grief, and yellow signifies hope that the person made it safely to the afterlife. In other places, yellow mums at a funeral also serve as a symbol of renewal, a hope that the person will be met again in the next life. Next time, make sure you bring flowers if you¡¯re going to be so upset about a death.¡± Her mother¡¯s scoffing face appeared in her mind for a brief moment.

    How ironic it is that these yellow mums are growing where I am dying, Daphne heard her own voice in her head now.

    She tried to focus on the flowers, attempting to sniff if they had a scent, but instead, she started coughing up blood. Will paramedics be able to save me? She wondered. Even if they can, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to walk again.

    The concrete, despite the temperature and the wind, was beginning to feel a bit warm and sticky from her blood. Her own body was feeling the chill of the weather more than it had before.

    I¡¯m going to die, she thought, managing to glance over at the apartment building. She had almost made it home. I¡¯m sorry, Tanpopo, she thought. Thank you for the flowers. I, too, hope we see each other in the next life.

    She tried to swallow and clear her throat, but it was now filling rapidly with blood. She coughed again in an effort to clear her lungs.

    I wish I had a chance to find happiness in this life, she thought. If I could do it all again¡­She coughed again, the snow around her melting from the heat of her body flowing out onto the ground. I would put myself and Tanpopo first and try to make the two of us happy, she thought. I¡¯ve spent so much of my life running around, trying to make other people happy instead of myself.

    Her vision was beginning to fade, and she still wasn¡¯t hearing sirens. She heard, instead, the sound of the truck door opening and closing, it¡¯s engine still idling in the blizzard.

    She could barely make out someone squatting down in front of her. Help! She screamed in her mind, but the words wouldn¡¯t come out of her mouth.

    Her vision stabilized again for a moment, and she saw the bottom half of the driver¡¯s face. She could only see from the nose down, but the driver was wearing dark red lipstick, and those very suave lips were widening into a cruel smile.

    The lips moved, saying something, but Daphne was no longer capable of hearing. Her ears were ringing, and a single thought was clear in her mind.

    This was not an accident, she thought. This woman¡­murdered me.

    Daphne¡¯s eyes fluttered shut, her world rapidly darkening and growing colder.

    I¡­never got to be happy¡­

 Chapter 6

    Daphne¡¯s alarm blared. She winced at the racket, peeling one of her eyes open and cringing at the sun streaming into the room. She grabbed her cell phone and performed the snooze motion, one she had performed nearly every day, and closed her eyes again.

    The memory of the headlights and the pressure of the truck crushing her legs flashed through her mind, and she saw the woman¡¯s smile in the darkness of her closed lids.

    Daphne bolted straight up in bed; her eyes open wide despite the sun streaming into her apartment bedroom window.

    What¡­? She wondered, looking around the room. Tanpopo was curled up into a little poofy pool of black at the foot of her bed. The furniture and layout of the room were exactly as she remembered.

    Gingerly, she curled her toes on her right foot and then her left. I can feel my legs, she thought. I can even move my legs¡­

    She looked around the room again, looking for anything to give her a hint as to why she could feel her legs still. But there was nothing. She was not in a hospital. There was no wheelchair or crutches, and there was nothing that was the least interpretable as ¡°medical¡± in her bedroom at all.

    Didn¡¯t I die? She wondered. Her alarm started blaring again, and rather than snoozing the alarm, she turned it off, and noticed that her phone said it was Monday.

    What the fuck? She thought. Am I actually in hell?

    She ran her hand through her hair, feeling her fingers snag on a handful of tangles. The fuck did I do to deserve to go to hell? She thought. Last I checked I wasn¡¯t nearly as bad as other people in this world. She shook her head, and bit her lip. It¡¯s got to be hell, she thought. Why else would I have to go back to work with no weekend?

    She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, rubbing her dominant hand on her forehead. Tanpopo sat up and looked at her. She stared back at him as he licked his lips and yawned widely. ¡°If this is hell, why are you here?¡± she asked him. He blinked his yellowish green eyes at her in response before jumping off the bed and performing a big stretch.

    He¡¯s so¡­real¡­ she thought.

    Tanpopo turned and looked at her, licking his lips again. ¡°What?¡± she asked him. He swallowed and she stood up, causing him to mewl at her, and twirl his tail around one of her legs.

    I can stand, too, Daphne thought. What is going on?

    She clicked on the lock button on her phone. It was six thirty am. Something else caught her eye this time. It was the date.

    Daphne¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°How is this possible?¡± she nearly shouted. She took several giant steps across the room and opened the curtains to her balcony. The trees still had leaves on them, and the gentle morning sun was bathing everything in a golden light.

    It was September 26<sup>th</sup>.

    Christmas was supposed to be tomorrow, she thought, furrowing her eyebrows. She checked her phone again, wondering if maybe she had been asleep for nine months. It was still the same year, just earlier.

    Was it some kind of prophetic dream? She wondered. She looked in her full-length mirror. There was no scarring on her legs or stomach that suggested she had been in an accident. There were no new tattoos or marks on her body that hadn¡¯t existed prior to the accident.

    She thought back to the days leading up to the accident. Her memories were still intact.

    This has got to be hell, she thought as she felt her cellphone vibrate. It was a reminder to try to get to work early so that she could get some extra work completed.

    She sighed and tossed her cellphone onto her bed. Tanpopo mewed at her again, spinning in a circle and asking for food.

    I guess I just need to go to work while I figure out what the hell is going on, she thought, grabbing clothes that a past version of herself had laid out for her. She deposited them into the bathroom on her way to the kitchen. Tanpopo followed her, nearly tripping her a couple of times, meowing at her in excitement for his upcoming meal.

    ¡°Stop,¡± she grumbled at him, as she took a quick peek into the coffee maker. Just like every other workday, she had pre-prepped her coffee so that she could just smash the brew button.

    The grounds lid slammed shut, hitting brew, and she picked up Tanpopo¡¯s bowl from the center of the kitchen. She quickly washed it, realizing that she was already running about ten minutes behind from having spent the time trying to figure out what was going on. She grabbed a fresh can of cat food, cut the pate in half, and began chopping up the food for Tanpopo. He was standing right in front of her, hindering her chopping ability, mewling loudly, his voice going higher pitched with excitement.

    She placed the food bowl on the ground, and Tanpopo started mowing down immediately. I need to hustle, Daphne thought as she put the half can of leftovers into her fridge.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    The coffee maker slurped loudly, pulling water through the grounds. Daphne turned away and went back to the bathroom to hop in the shower.

    I gotta be quick, she thought. No time for dilly dallying today.

    As she showered, she tried not to let her mind wander too much. Considering the circumstances, that was a challenge, in and of itself.

    After toweling off, she got dressed and walked back into her kitchen. Tanpopo was happily licking himself in his gray hammock bed. She paused for a moment and smiled at him.

    Even though I wish it was a weekend, and I don¡¯t know what the hell is going on, I¡¯m so glad to see this cat again, she thought. I didn¡¯t spend enough time with him in the past.

    Glancing over at the clock, she noticed that she had about twenty minutes before she needed to leave. She pulled together a quick bowl of cereal, and poured herself a cup of coffee with an extra splash of creamer than what she usually did.

    Since I don¡¯t know how long this hell is going to last, I might as well enjoy it, she thought, placing her coffee and cereal on her kitchen table. She walked quickly back to her room, grabbing her favorite pair of flats and her cell phone off of her bed. She walked back to the kitchen, throwing the flats onto the floor and then stepping into them. She sat down and devoured her cereal, sipping her coffee slowly as it cooled off.

    As she was eating, she unlocked her phone and was looking through the news. The headlines were somewhat familiar to her in terms of current events, and there was also a smattering of things she didn¡¯t recognize.

    Did I get transported to an alternative universe by that truck? She wondered, frowning at her phone. Or did I just miss some of these headlines before?

    She sighed at herself and shook her head. There¡¯s only one way to find out, she thought. And that is just to see what happens.

    She swallowed her last sip of coffee and noticed that it was time to leave. She quickly checked the weather in an attempt to determine if she would need a jacket or not.

    It was warm, just as it had been earlier that year in September.

    She nodded at her phone, and then went over to the hallway byt the door, grabbing her purse and her car keys.

    ¡°See you soon, Tanpopo,¡± she said, glancing over at him in his bed. He stared back at her, slowly blinking his eyes a few times.

    Daphne let out a low giggle. ¡°I love you too, Tanpopo,¡± she said. ¡°Hopefully I¡¯ll be back tonight.¡±

    She took a deep breath, and then left her apartment. As she was locking the door, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She pulled it out and noticed that she had a text from Gary.

    Hello beautiful, it said. Hope you have a wonderful day!

    Daphne¡¯s heart felt lighter. Gary¡­ she thought, a small smile creeping back onto her face. I guess if this isn¡¯t hell and I¡¯m truly back in the past, maybe I¡¯ll have a shot at saving our relationship before things get too bad.

    You too! She texted back with a heart. Good luck today.

    ~

    A team meeting on a Monday? Daphne thought, locking her computer and standing up. Her co-workers were all also grumbling about how early it was for a team meeting. To her right, Fiona was lazily sucking down a name brand, expensive coffee. Daphne had to hold back a look of disgust. Though it hadn¡¯t technically happened yet, if it ever had, Daphne didn¡¯t think she would ever be able to forgive Fiona for throwing her under the bus right before Christmas.

    Near Trevor¡¯s door, Holly¡¯s braided hair caught Daphne¡¯s eye. Her face broke out into a small smile. I wonder if she¡¯d be willing to sit next to me for the meeting, she thought. Has she been trying to be friendly with me for longer than I thought?

    Daphne strode over to Holly¡¯s cubicle and gently tapped her on the shoulder. Holly turned around and her eyebrows shot up when she met Daphne¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Would you mind if I sat next to you?¡± Daphne asked, chewing on her lip a little.

    Holly¡¯s eyes widened and a small smile spread on her face. ¡°That sounds great to me,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Daphne replied, smiling back.

    Holly looked a bit puzzled, but she didn¡¯t question Daphne as they walked to the conference room together in silence.

    They sat down together at the table, and Holly smiled brightly at her. ¡°How was your weekend?¡± she asked.

    Daphne swallowed hard. Maybe it was a bad idea to sit next to her today, she thought. I have no idea what I would have possibly done this past weekend.

    ¡°It was, uh, good,¡± Daphne replied trying to force her wince into a smile.

    ¡°Did you get all that work done on Friday night?¡± Holly asked. She genuinely seemed concerned. ¡°It seemed like you were underwater with the amount of stuff you had to get done.¡±

    Daphne couldn¡¯t keep the grimace off her face any longer. ¡­I have no idea what to say, she thought. Maybe I should have called in sick for the day while I figured everything out.

    Internally, she winced. But I would have been so far behind if I had done that. As it is, I am running behind because I don¡¯t even know what projects I was working on when I came in this morning.

    ¡°Oh no,¡± Holly said, reacting to Daphne¡¯s face. ¡°Were you here super late again?¡±

    Daphne nodded even though she, herself, didn¡¯t know. ¡°Unfortunately,¡± she replied. ¡°How was your weekend?¡± She asked Holly with a strained smile.

    Anything to get this conversation off me, Daphne thought.

    ¡°It was very good,¡± Holly replied with a smile that seemed a bit surprised. ¡°I spent a lot of time with my son.¡±

    Daphne had to do a double take at the woman¡¯s face, her eyes widening at Holly¡¯s statement. ¡°Your son?¡± Daphne asked in a high-pitched voice.

    Holly looked a bit disappointed. ¡°Ah, yes,¡± she replied, tucking one of her braids behind her ear awkwardly. ¡°My husband was on vacation, so it was just me and my son.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s ears felt like they were steaming. How could I have not known that Holly was married and had a kid, she wondered. Have I really paying that little of attention to the people around me?

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Daphne replied, looking down and feeling her body slump. ¡°I had totally forgotten that you had a son, so you surprised me,¡± she lied.

    The smile returned to Holly¡¯s face and Daphne felt her stomach swirl from the lie she had just told. I¡¯m so fake, she thought. What the hell is wrong with me?

    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± Holly replied. ¡°I feel like I talk about him a lot, but I know I look too young to have a son.¡±

    A lump formed in the back of Daphne¡¯s throat. I was so stupid to lie about that, she thought. Of course she talks about her son a lot. It probably would have served me better to just have been honest.

    ¡°You do look really young,¡± Daphne agreed, not really knowing how old Holly was either.

    This is too hard, she thought. I should have just waited for her to approach me.

    Most of the team had filed into the room, and Daphne found herself looking around for Landon. ¡°By the way¡­¡± she began to say, as she saw Landon and Trevor coming up to the conference room. Landon was trailing behind, looking anxious.

    Oh shit, Daphne thought, biting back her words before they came out. It¡¯s Landon¡¯s first day.

 Chapter 7

    ¡°By the way¡­?¡± Holly prompted Daphne, looking concerned.

    ¡°I was just about to ask if the empty role had been filled when I saw someone I don¡¯t know walking behind Trevor,¡± Daphne replied pursing her lips. ¡°So I guess that answers that question.¡±

    Trevor rapped his hand on the doorframe, and the talking of the room died down. ¡°It¡¯s been so long since we¡¯ve been together, it¡¯s almost like we¡¯re not a team anymore,¡± Trevor said with a impish grin as he and Landon came into the room.

    Daphne¡¯s heart skipped a beat and she felt as though she was floating out of her body a bit. She swallowed hard, trying to get her mind to focus on the situation.

    This has happened before, she thought. Trevor said that line in the past, word for word. Is this proof that I¡¯ve truly come back to the past? How can I disprove that this is hell?

    Daphne¡¯s fist clenched under the conference table. Pay attention, she chastised herself.

    She started looking at the individual faces at the conference table. The vast majority of her co-workers were the same people she had been working with in December.

    One face, however, stood out to her in particular. The man¡¯s name was Asher Hawthorne. He had left about a month before Christmas, and Daphne remembered that Trevor had made a big fuss when he left, saying that Asher was going to work for one of the company¡¯s competitors. Vaguely, Daphne recalled Trevor shouting at someone else, thankfully not her on that particular day, that Asher ¡°hadn¡¯t even had the dignity to put in his two weeks¡¯ notice.¡±

    Why would anyone want to with a boss like Trevor? She wondered, looking back at the shy Landon and the smug look on Trevor¡¯s face.

    ¡°Everyone, please welcome Landon Stevens to the team,¡± Trevor said, stepping further into the room so that everyone could see Landon.

    Thank God I held my tongue to Holly, Daphne thought. She would look at me differently if I had known Landon¡¯s name before anyone else did. I¡¯ll have to be careful.

    Daphne looked around the conference room table again, as everyone started clapping to welcome Landon, and Asher¡¯s brown eyes caught her own.

    Her heart jumped in her chest, and she felt a fluttering in her stomach as she quickly looked away from Asher. She bit her lip and watched her hands clapping. Her face warmed a little.

    I can¡¯t believe he just caught me looking at him, she thought. How embarrassing.

    The clapping quickly died down, and Landon smiled timidly. ¡°Thank you for letting me join the team,¡± he said in his baritone voice. ¡°I¡¯m excited to get to know and work with you all.¡± He smiled wider, showing his front teeth.

    ¡°Does anyone feel like taking Landon under their wing and training him?¡± Trevor asked. ¡°He only recently became a project manager, so he¡¯s relatively new to all of this.¡±

    Shit, Daphne thought, thinking back to the past. If I remember correctly, I was the one who got assigned to train him¡­and I was behind for weeks because of it.

    She took a quick glance around the room. Just like in the past, no one seemed to be volunteering. She glanced over at Landon and he looked a mixture of nervous and disappointed.

    It¡¯s not even his fault no one is volunteering, Daphne thought. It¡¯s because whoever trains is subject to Trevor¡¯s whims.

    Finally, Asher gingerly raised his hand, and Daphne noticed that he was looking at Trevor directly in the eyes. No wonder Trevor thought Asher was insolent, she thought.

    ¡°I¡¯ll train him,¡± Asher said. Daphne knew she hadn¡¯t really paid attention to Asher in the past, but his voice surprised her at that moment. It sounded warm, even though most people at work knew that it wasn¡¯t worth buttering Trevor up. Then, there was the fact that he volunteered in the first place, something Daphne knew for sure he hadn¡¯t done in the past.

    Trevor pursed his lips, looking annoyed. ¡°I appreciate your willingness to volunteer and help, Mr. Hawthorne, but I think it would be best for someone with more experience to train our new recruit.¡±

    Why is he volunteering this time around? Daphne wondered. I guess it just means that maybe this is an alternative universe after all.

    Trevor¡¯s eyes settled on Daphne, and she quickly looked away from his face. ¡°Ms. Woods,¡± he said. ¡°you¡¯re one of the longest term members of our team. How come you¡¯re not volunteering?¡±

    It was another slight change. Daphne felt fairly confident that Trevor had just assigned her to train Landon after no one had responded. Is this because Asher volunteered? She couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Or is this because this Trevor is different from the one I knew?

    ¡°Ah,¡± she answered, feeling her face redden as everyone¡¯s eyes found their way to her face. She glanced over at Asher, who was not looking at her, and she noticed that his jaw looked as though it was clenching. ¡°Apologies, sir,¡± she replied, looking back over at Trevor. ¡°I¡¯ve just been so busy that I figured you would want someone with a bit more time to train him.¡±Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    They were definitely words she¡¯d never said before. She had never even tried to defend herself at work before. Her heart was thundering in her chest, and she was staring at Trevor¡¯s shoes on the carpet of the conference room.

    I shouldn¡¯t have said that, she thought. He¡¯s gotta be pissed. I just have so much on my plate to be training someone on top of everything else that is going on.

    ¡°That¡¯s a fair point,¡± Trevor agreed.

    Daphne¡¯s stomach twisted inside of her. I think that¡¯s probably the first time that man has ever agreed with me, she thought.

    ¡°However,¡± Trevor continued, ¡°You¡¯re also one of the most capable people on our team. I really think you would be the best at showing Landon the ropes.¡±

    Daphne felt her eyes widen at Trevor¡¯s words. She didn¡¯t know that he had ever complimented her before. A light lit in her chest, and went dark as soon as she looked at Trevor¡¯s face. He wasn¡¯t just angry. His face was nearly purple it was so red, and she could tell that he had his jaw locked so that he didn¡¯t scream at her in front of the whole team and the new staff member.

    Shit, Daphne thought. I¡¯m going to eat my words later.

    ¡°Understood, sir,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to show him how we work and train him well.¡± She swallowed hard at what she knew was yet to come.

    Even if I did come back to the past, if I can¡¯t change anything, I¡¯m still going to end up dead before Christmas, she thought. She bit her lip. At least Landon was a very hard worker. I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be too difficult¡­Hopefully.

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Trevor replied. He knocked his knuckles on the doorframe again. ¡°Then meeting adjourned. Let¡¯s all get back to work.¡± Trevor left, and all of Daphne¡¯s co-workers started getting up to leave the conference room.

    Daphne felt Holly¡¯s elbow gently collide with her hips. Holly had leaned close to her, and as Daphne turned, she heard Holly say, ¡°What a prick. Asher would have been plenty competent enough to train Landon. Asher has been working here longer than I have.¡± Holly pulled away, and Daphne saw her roll her eyes. ¡°If you need any help, feel free to let me know,¡± she said with a small smile. ¡°Happy to take on anything little if I can.¡±

    Daphne smiled back at Holly, her heart warmed, and thinking aback to how Holly had offered to help her in, what was now considered the future. ¡°Thank you,¡± she replied, warmly. ¡°I¡¯ll take you up on that offer if I need to.¡±

    Holly¡¯s grin widened, and she stood up. ¡°Good luck,¡± she told Daphne.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Daphne replied, standing up and facing Landon. She smiled at him, attempting to keep her smile warm in hopes of calming his nerves.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be in your care,¡± Landon said to her shyly.

    Those are the same words he said in the past, Daphne thought. I suppose I¡¯ll have to try to figure out what is going on while taking care of him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± she replied, as Landon smiled a little back at her.

    ~

    Daphne had Landon shadow her in all of her meetings. Even though the project manager teams were required to be in office, most of Daphne¡¯s meetings were still over video call.

    Daphne asked Landon to take notes for her on all of the calls, and after debriefing for two of the meetings, she remembered why she had forgotten that she had trained him. He was incredibly competent and a hard worker, meaning she was only really training him on how her team and the organization did things.

    It probably didn¡¯t take all that long to train him in the past either, Daphne thought.

    After lunch, Daphne and Landon joined another virtual meeting. Daphne was smiling at the people on the screen. Though in their view, it probably had only been a short while since they had last seen each other, Daphne hadn¡¯t seen this particular team¡¯s smiling faces for some time. They were one of the teams she had enjoyed working with the most.

    Daphne had been struggling to focus all day, but she struggled even more after lunch. She was normally as sharp as a tack, but her mind kept drifting to the situation she was in.

    The feeling of d¨¦j¨¤ vu is not going away, she thought, while trying to focus on the team was saying. In fact, I think it has only continued to get worse.  She swallowed hard.

    ¡°So, if we tackle the implementation in a more agile way than through the waterfall method, I think the change management is going to be a little easier to come up with, and easier for the teams to digest,¡± one of the team members was saying.

    There have been some minor adjustments to how I remember things going, Daphne continued in her mind. But for the most part, everything is happening as I remember it going. Is that enough for me to really accept that I really have returned to the past? She wondered. But if I¡¯m in the past¡­how? Why?

    She had been avoiding thinking about the car accident all day, even though the memories were still fresh in her mind. It hadn¡¯t even been a full¡­perceptual¡­twenty-four hours since it had all gone down. But now, she actively called forth the memories.

    Was there anything unusual about the accident? She asked herself. She replayed the memory of it in her mind, trying to keep her face impassive so that it still looked like she was listening to what was being said in the meeting.

    She remembered noticing that cars were getting stuck in the snow. She reheard the sound of the truck¡¯s engine roaring. The sound of her skull cracking into the cement played in her mind. What happened after that? She asked.

    She remembered losing the sensation in her legs and her lower torso. The metallic taste of blood in her mouth as she¡¯d coughed it up, and feeling like she was choking through the blood came to mind.

    I figured the driver would call a paramedic¡­she thought, squinting a little. Though even if I had gotten help, I probably still would have died on that curb.

    She swallowed hard, feeling a lump in her throat. There was something odd that I saw there though, she thought. She bit her lip and then remembered.

    The flowers, she thought. The chrysanthemums that were growing up out of the ground. What were those doing there? Why were those blooming two days before Christmas? Shouldn¡¯t they have been dormant at that point?

    She tried to think back to if she had seen the mums as she had been walking to the park, before all of the snow had fallen on top of them.

    I wasn¡¯t paying attention to the foliage at all that night, she thought. Only the snow and the lack of it, right before Christmas.

    She thought back to earlier that morning, trying to remember if she had seen any flowers there when she¡¯d driven by on her way to work. They would be blooming right now, she thought. But still, she could not remember if they had been there when she drove by or not.

    I¡¯ll just check when I get home today, she thought. Though I suppose if this is truly a parallel universe, they probably won¡¯t be there at all.

    ¡°Daphne?¡± one of the people on the meeting called her name. She was quickly brought out of her thoughts and assessed the expressions on all of their faces. They looked as though they were waiting for her to answer a question.

 Chapter 8

    Shit, she thought. I haven¡¯t been paying enough attention to the meeting.

    Daphne unmuted herself. ¡°Sorry,¡± she said. ¡°Could you repeat that question?¡±

    At the same time that she was asking if the question could be repeated, Landon had unmuted himself. ¡°Actually, that¡¯s my bad,¡± he said. ¡°Daphne asked for me to attempt to lead this meeting so that I could practice. I should have mentioned that to you all at the beginning of the meeting.¡±

    Daphne looked over at the man who was sharing her cubicle space. Her heart felt warm from his quick save.

    She looked back at the laptop screen in front of her, and noticed that everyone looked relieved. ¡°To answer your question,¡± Landon continued, ¡°It looks like in the past, we had decided on a waterfall approach to change management because there was a lot less change happening in the organization so consistently and all the time.¡±

    ¡°Great, thank you for that, Landon,¡± the project leader said. None of the rest of the team seemed to be all that bothered by Landon taking over for Daphne, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel a smile blossom on her face.

    He¡¯s far more competent than I realized, she thought as she pulled up the work instant messaging app and opened her chats with Landon to send him a message.

    Thank you, she typed. I¡¯m a little bit distracted today, so grateful you were able to cover for me.

    On the screen in front of her, she saw a little smile on Landon¡¯s face as he read her message. In the instant messaging app, the three little dots popped up, informing Daphne that he was typing a response.

    Happy to be your wingman, anytime, he had written with a little smiley face at the end of it.

    Daphne¡¯s heart felt like it was expanding in her chest. She thought back to the comment that Landon had made prior to her coming back in the past, the one about his water cup that had made her smile. I wonder if Landon, too, was trying to be friends with me and I didn¡¯t even realize it, she thought. How foolish and thoughtless I have been.

    She took a deep breath, letting it out heavily. Her mind drifted back to the accident. Why didn¡¯t the truck driver call for a paramedic? She wondered. Surely, I was on the ground under the truck long enough for them to have realized that I needed help.

    It took forever for the driver to even get out of the truck, she thought. What the hell were they thinking?

    She closed her eyes briefly and remembered the woman¡¯s smile. Daphne¡¯s blood ran cold at the realization. Who the hell smiles after they just accidentally ran over someone in the snow¡­unless it wasn¡¯t an accident?

    The pleasant feelings that had been flowing through her only moments before were erased. It felt as though there was a growing iceberg in her stomach.

    Her throat felt like it was coated in a thick syrup, making it hard to swallow. It wasn¡¯t an accident, she thought. I was murdered.

    ¡°Daphne?¡± She heard her name being called in the meeting again. She bit her lip, realizing that she had been paying enough attention to her job again. She looked at the faces in the meeting, expecting them to look angry, and instead, they just looked concerned.

    Daphne fumbled to unmute herself.

    ¡°It says here in her notes that last year we decided to use these metrics and tactics because that is what the customer wanted at the time,¡± Landon said. ¡°Sorry, Daphne takes such extensive notes that it took me quite a moment to find it.¡±

    The project lead smiled. Daphne gritted her teeth, trying to focus.

    A notification from the instant messaging platform popped up on her screen, alerting Daphne that she had received a message from Landon. She pulled the application up to read the message.

    Are you okay? Landon asked.

    Sorry, she replied. I just have a lot of heavy things on my mind today. That¡¯s honestly why I didn¡¯t volunteer to train you at first. She hit send, and then glanced over at the meeting to see his reaction. He concealed whatever reaction he may have had and replied to her.

    It¡¯s not a big deal, he wrote back, then continued typing. Another message came through. Trevor tried to make it out as if I had never been a project manager before. But the truth is that I got my project management certification before I applied to this position. I¡¯ve done plenty of project managing before this.

    Daphne couldn¡¯t help but feel a smile blossom across her face. Yeah, Trevor is like that, unfortunately. Sorry about that.

    It¡¯s no problem at all, Landon replied.

    I¡¯m really grateful for your help today, she replied. Hopefully I won¡¯t be as distracted in the future.

    Daphne glanced over at her computer screen again, and saw that Landon¡¯s cheeks had turned a little pink, and a cute little grin played on his lips.

    It¡¯s my pleasure, he replied. Happy to help.

    He¡¯s competent and kind, Daphne thought, her heart feeling sunny again. How could I have missed this before?

    She remembered her last thoughts when she had died. They had been about happiness, and trying to live for herself.

    Even if I was murdered, she thought, I need to take this opportunity to live differently than I did before. If it¡¯s anything I¡¯ve realized today, it¡¯s that, she thought.

    She chewed on her upper lip a bit. I suppose I should also probably try to figure out who murdered me as well, so I can prevent it, but my absolute first priority needs to be finding ways that I can be happy in the meantime.

    She nodded at herself as she logged out of the meeting.

    This time, she thought, I¡¯m going to try to find my joy.

    ~

    Daphne pulled up to her apartment complex after work. As soon as she was fully parked, she quickly gathered up her belongings and got out of the car.

    I¡¯ve been dying to come here ever since I thought of those flowers, she thought. I even had Landon help me get stuff finished so that I wouldn¡¯t have to stay super late.  She let out a heavy breath as she began briskly walking towards the spot where the accident had occurred. It¡¯s so unlike me to ask for help.

    As she got to the street, she couldn¡¯t help but shiver a little. She had never really noticed before, but people flew up and down the road speeding.

    Is that why my accident happened? Daphne wondered. She remembered the woman¡¯s smile and shook her head at herself. Why would she smile if it was an accident?Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    The spot was about a five minute walk from her apartment building, meaning she had only been five minutes away from safety and Tanpopo. If I had been five minutes earlier, would that have changed things? She couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Or would it have been the same result?

    The air had an early fall chill in it, but as Daphne approached the site of the accident, the weather was not what sent the shiver down her spine.

    As she approached the location, she could see the car¡¯s headlights and hear the sounds of her bones cracking underneath the weight of the truck. Her stomach rolled around in her belly as the idea that someone had hit her intentionally percolated through her mind. Daphne choked back a heave, not wanting to make a scene on the street corner.

    Who would intentionally kill me? She found herself wondering. Why would they want to kill me? Who would hate me enough to do that?

    Looking at the spot, she attempted to come up with a list of enemies, but no one came to mind. I¡¯ve spent most of my life bending over backwards trying to make people happy, she thought. She felt a knot growing in her stomach. The idea that I might have upset someone to the point of wanting to kill me¡­ She swallowed hard, tasting bile.

    This is where I am supposed to die, she thought.

    She shook her head at herself. Focus, Daphne, she thought. Look for the flowers. Remember why you came here.

    She did everything in her power to divorce her emotions from her intellect as she attempted to recreate the scene of the accident to determine where the flowers were supposed to be.

    There was a small patch of grass nearby, but based on her calculations, it was too far away from where she saw the flowers. And there are no flowers anywhere nearby, she thought, crouching and knocking her hand against the concrete. This is where they should have been.

    There were no cracks in the concrete where the flowers might have grown from. She stood up and looked around, even squinting her eyes at the garden of the person who lived closest to the spot. There were no yellow chrysanthemums as far as she could tell.

    What the hell? She wondered. Is this truly an alterative universe? Did the person who owns this spot do some landscaping over the next three months? If not those two¡­did I hallucinate their existence in my desperation to stay alive? Or were they truly a gift from Tanpopo?

    She grimaced, feeling her stomach slosh around again. Really? The last things that I would think about in my dying moments would be flowers and my mother? She wrinkled her nose up in disgust. Why do I find that so hard to believe?

    She shook her head at herself, the feeling in her gut not going away. There was something special about those flowers, she thought. I¡¯m absolutely sure of it.

    Daphne turned and started heading back to her apartment. She couldn¡¯t shake the idea that the flowers were somehow connected with how she had found herself back in the past.

    She chewed on her lip. I wish I had someone to talk through all of this with. She started brainstorming the possibilities of who she could talk to. She sighed. But I think that the truth of it is¡­who would even believe me in the first place? The last thing I want is to get locked up in some hospital for sounding like I lost it.  She paused in her thoughts. Though, maybe I have lost it, she added in her mind. There¡¯s no way to disprove that. She couldn¡¯t help but imagine herself in a hospital bed on life support. Meanwhile, she lived in her mind, feeling as though she had gone back to the past.

    She let out a heavy breath as she got closer to her apartment building. Regardless of the state of my mind, the truth of it is that I can¡¯t attempt to find my happiness if I get myself instituted, she thought. So maybe what I really need now is someone who can talk me through how to be happy.

    She opened the door to her apartment, and Tanpopo ran up to greet her, spinning around in his usual circle, cuddling up to her legs and mewling loudly.

    ¡°Hi buddy,¡± she murmured, squatting down to the floor and wrapping her arms around him in a small hug. He turned to look at her, his yellow green eyes innocent and happy. ¡°If only my life was as simple as yours,¡± she murmured softly, gently stroking his fluffy fur as he wrapped his tail around her. ¡°Though I suppose I would have to worry about my owner dying or not coming home if I was a cat,¡± she stated, while starting to scratch his neck. He lifted his chin up and closed his eyes, clearly enjoying the scritches. ¡°And that almost happened to you. Sorry about that, bud,¡± she added.

    She stopped scratching underneath his chin, and he looked back up at her as if to ask why she stopped, and then mewled loudly, beckoning her towards the kitchen.

    ¡°Do you only see me as your food provider?¡± She asked him, following him and removing the scarf and hat she had put on to keep her just a touch warmer. ¡°How rude.¡±

    He meowed at her, and then looked at his bowl, as if he was truly trying to communicate, and as if she would have no idea what was after.

    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± she replied, taking the bowl up off the ground and washing it. He started shouting at her even more insistently hearing the water. She opened the fridge and got out the can that she had opened that morning. She couldn¡¯t help but wrinkle her nose at the scent as she opened it and put it into his bowl.

    ¡°Why do you like this so much?¡± she asked as she began to break up the pate while he was still yelling at her to hurry it up. ¡°It¡¯s probably the nastiest, foul stench in the world.¡±

    She put the bowl down for him, smiling a little as he went to town on inhaling his food. ¡°You¡¯re such a happy cat,¡± she said, turning away from him to wash her hands. ¡°How do I live like you?¡±

    She sighed, drying her hands and grabbed her phone to sit on the couch. I¡¯m not used to having this much free time, she thought, checking the time and seeing that it was only six thirty.

    She checked her text messages. Gary hadn¡¯t texted her at all the rest of the day. She didn¡¯t really know what to do or say either, knowing that he had broken up with her over wanting more, but not really knowing how to give him that.

    I also can¡¯t talk to him about these kinds of things, Daphne thought. He doesn¡¯t really give advice all that well.

    She scrolled through the list of messages. Instead of spending time with friends or cultivating relationships, all I did was work, Daphne thought. To the point that I don¡¯t even really have anyone to call when I need someone.

    She bit her lip. I¡¯ve got a lot to change about my life, she thought. And I don¡¯t even know where to start.

    One name caught her eye in the recent texts. It was her older sister, Maggie. As of the current date, it had been two weeks since Daphne had last texted her. But in her mind, she wasn¡¯t sure how long it had been since she had last talked to her older sister.

    It¡¯s been at least four months since I¡¯ve seen her in person, Daphne thought. I skipped Thanksgiving at Mom¡¯s house. Which means it¡¯s probably been about a month since this Daphne saw her.

    She swallowed hard. She has her own life and family¡­do I dare bother her?

    Daphne scrolled through other names in the recent text messages. Most of them were just authentication verification messages for when she logged into accounts and paid bills.

    Daphne smiled sideways and let out a short breath. Who else do I have to turn to? She wondered. I¡¯ll just make it clear to her that I don¡¯t want anything to do with mom.

    She opened the texts to her sister and took a quick peek at what had last been said. There wasn¡¯t much history to speak of, as it was primarily happy birthdays back and forth, and most recently, information about their mother¡¯s birthday get together, and Daphne saying she wouldn¡¯t be there.

    She chewed on her upper lip. When we were younger, Magnolia and I were as thick as thieves. I can only hope that she¡¯ll have some time to spare me today.

    Hey, she typed. It¡¯s been a long time. Sorry about that. I had a really strange and rough day at work and was hoping I might be able to chat through things with you, if you have time, that is.

    Daphne hit send, running her teeth across her lip and then put her phone on the couch next to her.

    She looked at Tanpopo who had settled into his grey hammock, and was licking himself contentedly.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to sit with me?¡± she asked, scoffing as if she was offended. ¡°Why did I even bother to get a cat in the first place if you¡¯re just going to ignore me?¡±

    Her guilt trip didn¡¯t even phase Tanpopo, as he began to lick his paw a couple of times and then wash his head with it

    Daphne sighed and looked up at the popcorn ceiling. What would I have done before with all this free time? She wondered.

    She felt her cellphone go off, and snatched it up to see that Maggie had replied.

    Hi! Maggie had replied. It has been a long time. Do you have any free time tonight? I know you are busy.

    Daphne felt a small smile forming on her face. I do, she replied. I¡¯m already home and completely free.

    Maggie had seemed to be waiting for Daphne¡¯s response, as the message quickly switched to read, and Maggie started typing again.

    Perfect, she replied. I¡¯ll be over in ten.

    Daphne pursed her lips as they slowly became a smile, trying to hold back her emotions. I guess she was freer than I thought.

    She looked over at Tanpopo. ¡°I don¡¯t know that you¡¯ve ever met your Aunt Maggie,¡± she murmured softly.

    Her heart felt like it was tightening. I hope this goes well, she thought. I¡¯ve been avoiding asking for help because I don¡¯t want my family to think badly of me. Daphne¡¯s throat felt dry. But now, to think that my time might be limited¡­ She chewed on her lip again. It¡¯s far more important to do something about the problem instead of worrying about my reputation.

    Daphne leaned back on her couch, looking up at the ceiling again, her stomach fluttering. I just hope she can help me find a way out of the rut I¡¯m in, she thought.

 Chapter 9

    Magnolia had always been the spitting image of their mother, and it had only gotten more apparent with age. When Daphne opened the door, she¡¯d nearly had a small heart attack, thinking it was her mother at the door. Maggie kept her hair short in a bob, unlike their mother. Maggie¡¯s hair also had the same blueish hue that their mother¡¯s had.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± Maggie said with a warm smile, unlike their mother, as she enveloped Daphne into a warm hug.

    ¡°It has,¡± Daphne agreed, hugging her sister back. Even longer for me than it has been for you, Daphne added in her mind.

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you reached out to me,¡± Maggie said as she stepped into Daphne¡¯s apartment, the door thudding behind her. ¡°I was worried we had stopped hanging out so much because I had sent you updates about Mom.¡±

    Daphne swallowed hard, feeling her stomach getting tied up in knots. She hit the nail on the head, she thought.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re busy with your husband and your family, too,¡± Daphne replied, rubbing the back of her neck.

    Maggie turned around and looked at her younger sister with narrowed eyes. ¡°Daph, you and both know you better than that,¡± she replied, her voice chiding.

    Daphne bit her lip. ¡°Sorry,¡± she admitted. ¡°It¡¯s just really hard for me to hear anything about Mom.¡±

    Maggie span back around, strolling into Daphne¡¯s kitchen. ¡°I get it, I get it,¡± she replied, putting her hand on Daphne¡¯s table and leaning on it. She smiled at Daphne. ¡°You should know that I only tell you because she¡¯d have my head on a platter if I didn¡¯t.¡±

    Daphne rolled her eyes up towards the ceiling in acknowledgement. ¡°I just don¡¯t want anything to do with her. That¡¯s the problem.¡±

    ¡°I get that,¡± Maggie said, pointing at her chest. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the girls, I¡¯d have nothing to do with her too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Michael¡¯s parents are better grandparents to the girls than mom ever could be.¡±

    ¡°You got that right,¡± Maggie replied, her bag falling off her shoulder onto the table. She ignored it. ¡°And once they¡¯re older we¡¯ll have nothing to do with her. I just want them to have fond memories of their grandma.¡±

    Daphne just grimaced. ¡°I don¡¯t know that I¡¯ll ever be able to relate,¡± she said. ¡°Speaking of that, how are Michael and the girls?¡± Daphne asked.

    ¡°They¡¯re doing great,¡± Maggie replied with a small smile. ¡°Lola is five now, and going to kindergarten now. Cheynne just turned two and has been an absolute menace.¡± Maggie pressed her hand against her forehead.

    ¡°What about you?¡± Daphne asked. ¡°How have you been?¡±

    ¡°When I¡¯m not chasing little ones, I¡¯m a lot better,¡± Maggie said with a grin. ¡°I never valued my free time enough.¡± She chuckled a little and Daphne smiled.

    She cleared her throat and chewed on her lip a little. I should probably ask about mom to be polite, she thought.

    ¡°What about Mom?¡± Daphne asked. ¡°How is she doing these days?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you asked,¡± Maggie replied, her eyebrows raising. ¡°She¡¯s doing pretty good. Disappointed we are going into winter, same as she usually is this time of year.¡± Maggie was smiling tightly, clearly uncomfortable.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, I suppose,¡± Daphne replied, plastering a polite smile onto her face.

    Maggie nodded enthusiastically, and then began looking around Daphne¡¯s apartment, clearly already moving on from Daphne¡¯s transgressions. ¡°You¡¯ve lived here for three years, right?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Daphne replied, following her sister¡¯s eyes.¡±

    ¡°Have you¡­¡± Maggie paused, biting her lip. ¡°Have you ever thought to decorate?¡± she asked.

    Daphne looked around the blank walls of her apartment. Even the furniture that she had was fairly sparse, giving the apartment a hardly lived in feel.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡± Daphne asked, cocking her head to the side.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Maggie began to reply, taking Daphne seriously. Maggie looked nervous.

    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding,¡± Daphne said, waiving her hand at her sister. ¡°I guess I just haven¡¯t had much time to consider where to put things.¡±

    ¡°For three years?¡± Maggie asked, raising her eyebrows, clearly appalled.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a good way to start talking about what I wanted your advice on,¡± Daphne said, gesturing toward the couch, and cringing at her own transition.

    ¡°Oh perfect,¡± Maggie replied, beginning to walk into the living room. She took a few steps toward the couch and then Daphne saw Maggie¡¯s head swivel towards Tanpopo. ¡°You have a cat,¡± Maggie observed, turning to face Daphne. ¡°Is it friendly?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Daphne admitted, grimacing. ¡°I don¡¯t have people over very often.¡±

    Maggie began to slowly approach Tanpopo in his bed. He opened one of his eyes slightly to look at her, then closed it again, seemingly deciding that he wasn¡¯t in danger.

    ¡°What¡¯s it¡¯s name?¡± Maggie asked as she gently laid a hand on Tanpopo¡¯s poufy side.

    ¡°His name is Tanpopo,¡± Daphne replied with a smile.

    ¡°He¡¯s freaking adorable,¡± Maggie said. She turned and sat down on the couch next to Tanpopo¡¯s bed, her hand never leaving his body. Her eyes did not leave him either.

    ¡°He is,¡± Daphne replied, sitting down on the opposite size of the couch, perched as far away from her sister as possible.

    ¡°So you said you had a strange and rough day, and now you¡¯re saying you want advice,¡± Maggie said, continuing to gently stroke Tanpopo, but finally tearing her eyes off of him to look at Daphne. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked.

    Daphne let out a heavy sigh, blowing the baby hairs on her face off of it. ¡°Where do I even begin?¡± she asked.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°That great, huh?¡± Maggie said with a  small laugh.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Daphne replied before chewing on her tongue a little. ¡°I guess, to start, I have a boyfriend.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Maggie shouted, leaning forward and spooking Tanpopo a little. He was watching her closely now.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think things are going that well, though,¡± Daphne replied, rubbing her nose with the back of her hand.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Maggie asked, leaning back onto the couch. Tanpopo put his head down, seeming to be under the impression that the racket was over.

    ¡°I really like him a lot,¡± Daphne stated. ¡°But I don¡¯t think he feels the same about me. He recently told me that he wants to spend more time together, but he doesn¡¯t try to contact me.¡±

    Maggie tsked a few times at Daphne. ¡°He sounds like a loser,¡± Maggie said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why anyone wouldn¡¯t want to spend time with you.¡±

    ¡°Heh,¡± Daphne said, looking down at the carpet on the floor. ¡°He said I¡¯m a workaholic.¡±

    Maggie looked like she was trying to hold a grin on her face. ¡°I mean, it sounds like he¡¯s got you all figured out,¡± she said, a little smirk growing on her face.

    Daphne felt her eyes go wide. ¡°Do you think that about me too?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure ¡®think¡¯ is the right word in this context,¡± Maggie replied. ¡°¡¯Know¡¯ is more appropriate.¡±

    Daphne bit her lip. ¡°So would you say it¡¯s probably a bad thing that I¡¯m typically working an extra two to three hours after working every day?¡± Daphne asked.

    She heard Maggie intake a deep breath, and looked over. Maggie had pointed her nose at the ceiling and was pinching the bridge of it.

    ¡°What?¡± Daphne asked, her stomach twisting up into a knot.

    ¡°You¡¯re working an extra ten to fifteen hours a week?¡± Maggie asked, matter-of-factly, still pinching her nose.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Daphne replied, chewing her lip. ¡°I never thought of it like that.¡±

    So, I¡¯ve been working¡­fiftyish hours a week? Daphne thought. Is it truly any wonder that Gary wanted to break up with me?

    Maggie breathed out heavily, her eyes still closed, but her head falling back into more of a neutral position. ¡°Why are you working so much?¡± she asked. ¡°Is it a requirement of your job?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°A lot of the time people will push their work off onto me.¡±

    Maggie¡¯s eyes opened wide, and she turned to look at Daphne. ¡°And you don¡¯t say no?¡± Maggie asked, her voice sounding irritated.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m allowed to say no or not,¡± Daphne admitted.

    ¡°You¡¯re always allowed to say no,¡± Maggie stated, heavily emphasizing her sentence.

    ¡°My boss doesn¡¯t seem like the type that will take no for an answer,¡± Daphne replied, frowning. ¡°He yells at me a lot, and has a soft spot for one of the women who most commonly pushes her work on to me.¡±

    Maggie fluttered her eyelids, touching two  of her fingers to each side of her head. ¡°So let me get this straight. You don¡¯t try to say no to the extra work because your boss if playing favorites with one of your co-workers, and you¡¯re ruining your romantic relationship because of it,¡± Maggie stated.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Daphne replied, rubbing the back of her neck. ¡°I think that¡¯s the simplified version of it.¡±

    ¡°Is there more?¡± Maggie asked, her eyes opening and her face looking stern at Daphne.

    ¡°Um¡­¡± Daphne hesitated, chewing on her lips. ¡°I¡¯m also a little concerned that my boyfriend may be dating me because of my money.¡± Daphne¡¯s voice shrank down the further she got into her sentence.

    ¡°Sorry?¡± Maggie asked, blinking a few times at Daphne. ¡°Are you giving him money or something?¡±

    Daphne let out a fake cough. ¡°Umm,¡± she replied. ¡°Well, he got laid off about a month after we got together¡­¡±

    Maggie gave her sister a dirty look. ¡°Daph¡­¡± Maggie replied. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯re supposed to do?¡± Daphne asked, her stomach starting to do flip flops. ¡°Partnership and all that?¡±

    She¡¯s judging me, she¡¯s judging me¡­ A voice was murmuring in Daphne¡¯s mind, repeating the statement over and over.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Maggie replied softly. ¡°After you¡¯ve been in a relationship for over a year.¡±

    A lump grew in Daphne¡¯s throat. ¡°Oh,¡± she said.

    Maggie sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t blame you for not knowing,¡± she said. ¡°We lived in the same house. I know what crap you experienced growing up.¡±

    Daphne clenched her jaw, feeling her eyes prick from her emotions. I will not cry, she thought.

    ¡°So is the advice you wanted to ask me what you should do for these two situations?¡± Maggie continued.

    Daphne nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not happy,¡± she said, her voice cracking with emotions. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m really unhappy and I don¡¯t know what to do about it.¡±

    Maggie sighed. ¡°I wish you had said something sooner. The last thing I want to see you is unhappy.¡± She scooted across the couch and awkwardly wrapped one of her arms around Daphne¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Can I ask you one thing?¡±

    Daphne could only nod, as she was holding back the tidal wave of her emotions.

    ¡°Outside of being happy, what is it you¡¯re looking to get from your relationship and work?¡± Maggie asked.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m hoping the relationship continues,¡± Daphne said. She couldn¡¯t help but notice the grimace on Maggie¡¯s face as she said it.

    Her heart sunk into her chest. Maybe pursuing this with Gary is doomed to fail, she thought. I still think it¡¯s worth trying.

    Daphne swallowed hard. ¡°For work, I just hope for my efforts to be appreciated and to have an impact.¡±

    Maggie nodded. ¡°And you want my advice for both things?¡±

    It was Daphne¡¯s turn to nod, her guts feeling like she just got punched.

    Maggie sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll be completely honest¡­I¡¯m not sure if your relationship is salvageable, but there are two things you should do. First, stop paying him any of your money. Consider it a test to see if he actually cares about you.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it¡­toxic to do something like that?¡± Daphne asked.

    Maggie looked like she wanted to pull her short hair out. ¡°What corner of the internet has given you such terrible advice?¡± she asked. She breathed out heavily and then shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s also toxic to let yourself get used like a piece of toilet paper. It would be different if you were living with him.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Daphne said. ¡°What do I say when I tell him I can¡¯t pay anymore? Should I just be honest?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay to tell a small white lie,¡± Maggie replied, waving her hands to imply that Daphne should definitely not be honest. ¡°Just say you had some expensive things come up and you can¡¯t afford to pay him extra right now.¡±

    ¡°Will that be believable?¡± Daphne asked.

    ¡°In this economy? Absolutely,¡± Maggie replied.

    Daphne cringed at the word ¡°economy.¡± It was one of the words Gary had said to her during their breakup. ¡°Understood,¡± she said.

    ¡°Also,¡± Maggie added. ¡°Try to spend as much time with him as you can. If he¡¯s complaining that you¡¯re not spending enough time with him, then give him what he wants and see if things improve.¡±

    ¡°How am I supposed to do that when I¡¯m working late every night?¡± Daphne asked.

    ¡°We¡¯ll get that to here in a moment, but even if you work late, try to spend time with him anyway.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Daphne said with a nod.

    ¡°Does that sound like a plan for your relationship?¡± Maggie asked.

    ¡°That sounds like a good plan,¡± Daphne agreed.

    ¡°So now work,¡± Maggie said, running her hand through her curtain bangs. ¡°First and foremost, you should try talking to your boss about your workload.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that is a good idea,¡± Daphne replied, making an ¡°x¡± with her arms. Her heart felt like it was decaying in her chest.

    ¡°I understand,¡± Maggie said with a nod. ¡°You should try anyway. The other thing you can do is start saying no when you¡¯re asked to take on additional work.¡±

    Daphne raised her eyebrows. ¡°I don¡¯t see that going over well either.¡±

    Maggie nodded. ¡°It may not. If it doesn¡¯t, then you know that it¡¯s time to find a new job.¡±

    ¡°Will doing those things make me happy?¡± Daphne asked, touching her chest, feeling as though it was a bit hollow.

    Maggie looked exasperated. Daphne bit her lip and felt her ears flame. ¡°Only you can really decide what makes you happy,¡± Maggie told Daphne. ¡°If it¡¯s work, focus on work. If it¡¯s your boyfriend, focus on your boyfriend.¡±

    Daphne nodded at her sister. ¡°I think I understand,¡± she said.

    Maggie¡¯s face blossomed into a smile. ¡°Glad to hear it,¡± she said.

    ¡°Thanks for taking the time to come out here and help me,¡± Daphne said, a small smile on her face.

    Thanks for not judging me too badly¡­

    ¡°Thank you for reaching out,¡± Maggie replied, placing one of her hands on Daphne¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t like to hear that you¡¯re struggling so much, sister,¡± she said.

    Daphne felt her eyes sting a little. Was it really necessary to let my relationship with Maggie fall to the wayside? She wondered. She¡¯s hardly brought up Mom at all.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Daphne replied.

    Maggie smiled and shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry,¡± she said. ¡°On another note, have you had dinner yet? Would you like to go grab a bite?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t,¡± Daphne replied, tucking one of the long strands of her dark hair behind her ear. ¡°That sounds great.¡±

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Maggie said with a bright grin. ¡°What should we get to eat then?¡±

 Chapter 10

    Okay, Daphne thought as she put her bag down at her cubicle. I can do this.

    ¡°Good morning!¡± Landon exclaimed cheerfully, smiling brightly.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± Daphne replied smiling a little back at him. She took off her jacket and the scarf she had grabbed to help combat the chilly weather.

    She sat down in her chair, and pulled open her to-do list for the day, scanning it over. If I don¡¯t ask for help today, I will for sure work late, she thought reading through the sheer number of tasks that were on her list.

    ¡°Another busy day ahead of us?¡± Landon asked.

    Daphne swallowed hard. Here¡¯s my opening to ask for help, she thought.

    ¡°Sure is,¡± Daphne answered, trying not to grimace.

    ¡°Got some easy things for me that I can get off your to-do list before we get slammed with meetings?¡± Landon asked.

    ¡°Sure do,¡± Daphne replied with a smile.

    Thank goodness I didn¡¯t even have to ask, she thought.

    She sent him over a stack of documents and instructions to get him started and then pulled out her cell phone.

    I¡¯ll just send Gary a quick text, she thought. If Landon and I destroy this list today, I¡¯ll for sure get off work on time. Besides, he won¡¯t be awake yet.

    Good morning, Gary! She wrote. Hope you are having a good start to your day. I was thinking that it would be nice to meet up tonight if you¡¯re available.

    She put her phone down, off to the side and began trudging her way through her to-do list.

    About twenty minutes later, she heard her phone vibrate. She snatched it up quickly to see that Gary had replied.

    Good morning. It is going okay so far. I am available tonight. Is everything okay?

    She raised her eyebrows at his response, tilting her head to the side a bit. Why is he asking me if everything is okay?

    Everything is fine, she replied with a smiley face. It¡¯s just been a little while since we¡¯ve seen each other.

    She went back to her task, but much to her chagrin, Gary responded back nearly immediately.

    I figured he would be happy and say yes to spending time with me immediately, Daphne thought. I didn¡¯t expect to have a whole conversation about it.

    You¡¯re being surprisingly clingy, Gary had written.

    Daphne felt like she had been punched in the gut, and her stomach was swirling around in circles. I¡¯m being¡­clingy? She wondered, frowning. Then why did he say we didn¡¯t spend enough time together when he broke up with me?

    Her phone vibrated again in her hand. He had sent another message through.

    We just saw each other only three days ago.

    Daphne squinted her eyes at the message. Something is¡­fishy, she thought.

    But I miss you, she typed, adding a sad emoji to the end of her message. It was intentionally out of character for her. She wasn¡¯t even sure if she actually did miss him.

    Daphne¡¯s heart sped up in her chest as she saw that Gary was replying back almost immediately. If I need to exaggerate my feelings a bit to get him to stay with me, it¡¯s worth it.

    Cringe, Gary had replied. You¡¯re being really clingy today.

    Daphne¡¯s heart dropped in her chest. She bit her lip, curling her toes in her shoes and turning back to her work.

    I don¡¯t understand, she thought. Why would he have said that to me in the¡­possible future¡­if he would have responded so negatively when I ask to spend time with him?

    She heard her phone vibrate across the desk again, and bit her lip, trying to resist the temptation to see if he had said anything additional.

    ¡°Everything alright?¡± Landon asked next to her.

    ¡°Everything is fine,¡± she replied, pulling out her professional smile. He smiled back, but didn¡¯t look like he quite believed her. She twisted her hands in her lap.

    No longer able to resist the temptation, Daphne grabbed her phone. It was another message from Gary.

    All I ask is that you find a different way to ask in the future, he had written. But let¡¯s meet.

    Daphne felt all of the tension in her muscles fall away. So, it was just the way that I asked? She thought, more confused than she had been before.

    ¡°Seems like there¡¯s something going on,¡± Landon replied to her movement, a twinkle in his blue green eyes.

    ¡°Ah, yeah,¡± she replied, putting her hand on the back of her neck. ¡°I¡¯m trying to make plans with my boyfriend, but he¡¯s being confusing.¡±

    Daphne thought she saw a flash of disappointment cross Landon¡¯s face, but the speed at which it was gone made her wonder if she¡¯d misread it.

    ¡°That¡¯s surprising,¡± Landon said calmly. ¡°I feel s though its usually girls who are being confusing.¡±

    Daphne let out a small laugh. ¡°I suppose you would see it that way,¡± she said.

    Do you want to do dinner at seven? Daphne typed back to Gary.

    Sounds good, he answered immediately. Don¡¯t be late.

    A small smile spread across Daphne¡¯s lips. He knows me too well, she thought.

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re really excited,¡± Landon observed.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°I am,¡± Daphne replied with a little giggle.

    ¡°It all worked out then,¡± Landon replied softly. ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡±

    ¡°It did,¡± Daphne replied.

    They worked alongside one another for another hour or so, when Daphne heard Fiona¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Daphne?¡± Fiona said in her nasally, snotty voice.

    Daphne had to hold back a look of disgust as she turned to look at the red head. ¡°Fiona?¡± she replied, trying to keep her face as impassive as possible. ¡°What is it?¡±

    Fiona didn¡¯t keep the look of hostility off of her own face. ¡°Trevor is looking for you,¡± Fiona said, rolling her eyes and sitting down at her cubicle.

    Daphne blinked her eyes a few times, feeling a bit untethered from her body. Was Fiona always this way? Did I just not pay attention to who was telling me the boss was looking for me? Daphne asked herself.

    ¡°Did he say what he wanted?¡± Daphne asked, standing up and looking over the edge of their shared wall.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Fiona replied as if she was some sort of valley girl.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just come from meeting with him?¡± Daphne pressed. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you know why he¡¯s asking to meet with me?¡±

    Fiona looked up with a look of contempt written all over her face. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just go ask him yourself?¡± Fiona asked.

    It took all of Daphne¡¯s power to not mock Fiona at that moment.

    She set her jaw, biting her tongue. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± she told Landon.

    His eyes were full of concern. ¡°Alright,¡± he replied.

    As she walked across the office towards Trevor¡¯s office, Daphne¡¯s insides began to feel as though they were filling up with lava.

    I just need to set boundaries, Daphne was chanting in her head, reminding herself of Maggie¡¯s advice.

    She reached Trevor¡¯s door and took a deep breath. Her heart was thundering through her chest. Every cell in her body was screaming that it wasn¡¯t going to be okay, and that setting boundaries wasn¡¯t going to be enough.

    What choice do I have though? Daphne thought. I can¡¯t just blow off my boss.

    She gently tapped her knuckles on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± she heard Trevor¡¯s voice say through it.

    Daphne bit her lip and opened the door, closing it behind her.

    You can do this, she thought to herself. Make Maggie proud of you.

    ¡°Hello,¡± she said, looking over at Trevor, who was sitting at his desk, playing around on his phone. ¡°Fiona told me that you wanted to talk to me.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Trevor said. ¡°She told me that she was overloaded with her responsibilities, and she needs to offload one of her projects. I figured you might be able to take over for her.¡± He didn¡¯t even look up from his phone, and Daphne saw the smirk on his face as clear as day.

    This prick has been taking advantage of me this whole time, Daphne thought, feeling her fists clench. Fiona is the least busiest person on the entire team.

    ¡°I see,¡± Daphne replied.

    ¡°She said that she¡¯s too overwhelmed and can¡¯t get anything done. We can¡¯t have that, can we?¡± He finally put his phone down and looked up at her. Daphne couldn¡¯t help but notice that it was a phone game that he had open on his screen. ¡°Besides, she already told all the stakeholders that you¡¯ll be taking over,¡± Trevor added.

    What the fuck? Daphne thought. Who promoted this dick into a manager if all he does is fart around on his phone and yell at people?

    Daphne felt her ears flaming, and she bit her lip. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she finally managed after a long pause. ¡°I¡¯m also overwhelmed between training the new employee and all of the other projects I¡¯m working on. You¡¯ll probably want to find someone else to take over for her.¡±

    During the time that she had been talking, her eyes had slowly lowered down until she was studying the carpet of his office. But now that Trevor wasn¡¯t responding, Daphne could feel her insides twisting as she slowly looked back up at Trevor.

    His face was dark red. She flinched, already knowing what was coming. I should have never listened to Maggie about trying to talk to Trevor first, Daphne thought.

    ¡°What the fuck makes you think you can tell me no?¡± Trevor shouted, standing up at his desk. His hands were clenched into fists.

    Daphne shrank even more under the size advantage that Trevor had on her.

    ¡°¡¯No¡¯ is never an acceptable answer,¡± Trevor continued. ¡°The only thing I should ever hear from hear from you is ¡®yes, sir.¡¯ Do I make myself clear?¡±

    Daphne looked over at him, the sudden drop in volume nearly deafening. Trevor was breathing heavily.

    Fuck, Daphne thought. The whole office probably heard that explosion.

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Daphne replied, her voice tiny. Her eyes pricked, threatening to unleash her emotions in front of the man who just brought them about. ¡°I will make sure to do as you say going forward.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Trevor replied, his face beginning to shift back into a normal color. ¡°Now get out.¡±

    Daphne turned and opened the door, closing it behind her. A quick glance around the office filled her vision with the facial expressions of those who were pitying her.

    She felt a lump form in her throat. I will not cry, she thought. Her pause made her realize that her whole body was trembling. Her face turned red, and she looked down, covering her face with her bushy hair. She scurred her way back to her desk.

    There¡¯s something seriously wrong with that man, Daphne thought as she did her best to not trip over obstacles. People should not be treated the way that he treats people.

    Daphne¡¯s heart ached, feeling as though if even the smallest thing went wrong for the rest of the day, she wouldn¡¯t be able to keep it together. She was holding her emotions in with a single thread.

    She sat down in her seat next to Landon, still keeping her head low. Daphne expected Landon to say something, but he stayed silent, allowing Daphne to calm the crashing waves of emotion running through her.

    Maggie is right, Daphne thought. There¡¯s no way I could stay in this shitty job and still feel happy.

    Her stomach was still swirling with her emotions when she heard of the instant messaging app on her computer.

    She pulled back her curtain of hair a bit to take a quick peek at Landon. He seemed to be doing his best to give her the privacy and space that she needed.

    Instead of looking at the message, Daphne grabbed her phone and pulled it into her curtain of hair. She pulled open her texts to Maggie.

    I tried saying no, Daphne typed. It did not go over well with my boss.

    Daphne bit down hard on her lip, nearly drawing blood, and feeling her tears sting her eyes again. What the fuck did I do to deserve this kind of humiliation at work? Daphne wondered. I have bent over backwards for this job for years. And this is how I¡¯m repaid?

    Her phone vibrated in her hand. I¡¯m sorry, Maggie had written. I guess that means it¡¯s time to start looking for a new job.

    Absolutely, Daphne replied.

    She put her phone off to the side and heard the instant messenger ding again.

    She peeked though her hair once more at Landon, who still seemed to be ignoring her. She took a deep breath and looked around more widely and noticed that no one seemed to be paying attention to her at all at that moment.

    She gathered her hair up, pulling it away from the front of her face. She sighed heavily, and then pulled up her instant messenger on her computer.

    It was a message from her co-worker Asher.

    Hey, he had written. That sounded rough. Is everything okay? His second message added on, saying, I overheard your conversation with Trevor. If you¡¯re overwhelmed, I can take on the extra project from Fiona.

    Daphne¡¯s eyes narrowed at her screen. I don¡¯t think <u>this</u> happened in the past, she thought. As far as I remember, I barely interacted with Asher Hawthrone. I would have remembered him offering to help me¡­right?

    Still, she thought, nodding and tilting her head to the side. It would be helpful to have someone else take it on instead of working so late like I usually do.

    I think Fiona already told everyone that I will be taking over, Daphne replied. She hit send.

    Before she got a chance to write more, another message from Asher came through.

    I can just inform them that there was a little bit of a mix up, Asher said. And that I will actually be the one taking over for Fiona.

    Daphne swallowed hard and shook her head. If we go behind Trevor¡¯s back, he¡¯ll be furious, she typed.

    Asher sent back a laughing emoji. Trevor would be too stupid to even realize what we did, he typed back. He barely pays enough attention to collect a paycheck.

    Daphne couldn¡¯t help but let out a little giggle. Though her emotions were still swirling around her, Asher¡¯s attempt to lighten her load was making her feel a bit more normal.

    Alright, she typed. Thank you so much for your help, I appreciate it. As soon as I get the information from Fiona, I¡¯ll send it over to you.

    Happy to help, Asher replied with a smiley face.

    Daphne, still smiling a bit, looked over at Landon. His blue green eyes met hers, and he smiled a bit at her. ¡°Feeling better?¡± he asked.

    ¡°A little,¡± she replied, feeling her face warm a bit.

    ¡°Good,¡± Landon replied, his smiling widening. ¡°Let¡¯s work hard today so that you can go have a nice time on your date.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s smile widened even further. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said.

 Chapter 11

    ¡°Daphne,¡± she heard Gary¡¯s voice call to her. She looked around the crowded restaurant to figure out where his voice was coming from.

    Gary was seated not too far from the entrance, and was waving at her awkwardly with what looked like a forced smile.

    ¡°Ah, he¡¯s right there,¡± she told the host with a small smile.

    ¡°Sure, go on in,¡± the host replied with a nod, clearly already wanting to move onto the next person in the crowded restaurant.

    Daphne walked around the hosting podium and up to the table Gary was at. ¡°Hey,¡± she said, taking off her purse and jacket and sitting down.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Gary replied. ¡°Sorry, I would have waited for you but the tables started filling up pretty quickly.¡±

    ¡°No worries,¡± Daphne replied, looking around. ¡°I wonder why they¡¯re so busy on a Tuesday night.¡±

    ¡°No clue,¡± Gary replied, handing her a menu to look over.

    ¡°I¡¯m not too late, am I?¡± Daphne asked, taking a quick peek at her watch on her wrist. It was seven o¡¯ two. She wasn¡¯t as close to late as she had been meeting with him in the past.

    ¡°No,¡± Gary replied, taking a sip of his water and then looking at his phone. ¡°I was just a little early because I was hungry.¡±

    Daphne noticed that he was typing rapidly on his cellphone. ¡°Have you already decided what you¡¯re going to eat?¡± she asked, turning her attention to the menu.

    ¡°Yep,¡± he replied.

    She looked up at him and he was still fiddling around on his device. ¡°What did you decide on?¡± she asked.

    ¡°The filet mignon,¡± Gary replied, not looking back at her.

    Seriously? Daphne thought, glancing back at the menu and finding the price. It was thirty dollars, before tax or a tip. He had to pick the most expensive thing on the menu, didn¡¯t he? Daphne wondered. No wonder Maggie told me to stop paying him¡­how much money did I spent on this prick?

    Daphne hid her face with the menu, as she grimaced and swallowed hard. Still, though, she thought. It was hard enough to find a boyfriend in the first place. I shouldn¡¯t be so keen on throwing it all away without giving it a shot.

    Daphne¡¯s eyes ran through all of the other menu items. It was a sports bar style restaurant, something that Gary preferred over pretty much anything Daphne liked.

    Of course he wanted to meet here, she thought. I shouldn¡¯t have left the decision up to him if I wanted something else. That was foolish of me.

    She took a deep breath and settled to order some garlic parmesan boneless chicken wings. That sounds pretty good, she thought. Though he¡¯ll probably give me flack for wanting to eat boneless wings.

    ¡°Did you decide?¡± Gary asked Daphne.

    She placed her menu down on the table, looking at him. He still hadn¡¯t looked up from his phone and was still typing rapidly on it.

    Was he always like this? Daphne found herself wondering. Did he really not pay attention to me so blatantly?

    ¡°I did,¡± she replied.

    ¡°What did you settle on?¡±

    ¡°Some boneless chicken wings.¡±

    He looked up at her, their eyes meeting briefly and he smiled at her, the lopsided smile that she had fallen for. She expected her heart to skip a beat, but it stayed steady instead.

    ¡°That¡¯s so like you,¡± he said, looking back down at his phone.

    Daphne touched her chest gently to make sure that her heart was still beating in it. It was. Is the magic gone now that I know this fucker is supposed to break up with me? She wondered. In her lap, she clutched her hands, feeling her stomach tighten. But if I let him get away, it could take years again before I find someone else.

    She swallowed hard, a lump growing in her throat. ¡°How is your mom doing?¡± she asked, doing everything she could to keep her voice steady.

    Gary didn¡¯t look up at her, and it was silent for a few moments before he responded. ¡°She¡¯s doing pretty good,¡± he said.

    ¡°Have all of her illnesses gotten back under control?¡± Daphne asked.

    Gary looked up at her, cocking his head to the side, a look of disdain on his face. ¡°Most of them,¡± he answered. ¡°Do you really need to bring that up in the middle of a restaurant though?¡± he asked.

    Daphne bit her lip, not really sure how to respond. Thankfully, their server came up to take their orders, inadvertently rescuing Daphne. They put in their orders, and the server walked away.

    Daphne was grateful when Gary went back to staring at his phone and dropped the topic of conversation, allowing her to take a deep breath.

    I get that was maybe not the best topic of conversation in public, she thought, but what was that about? She looked up at him, furrowing her brows, as if he was a puzzle that had stumped her. He used to spend hours talking my ear off about his mother, and her ailments. Did he change? If so, when?

    ¡°What about your sister?¡± Daphne asked.

    Gary scoffed, looking up again from his phone briefly. His eyes seemed different in that moment, angry, even. ¡°She ran off with her boyfriend about a month ago, leaving mom and I to pay for everything. We¡¯re struggling to make ends meet ever since she left.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Though his eyes had softened as he was talking, Daphne had felt a shiver go down her spine from his initial gaze. I don¡¯t remember the last time we talked about his family, Daphne thought, straining her memory. But he certainly didn¡¯t act like this about them. Was he always this way, or is this truly a parallel universe?

    Another thought raised in her mind. He did break up with me the day I was murdered, she thought. Was he maybe involved?

    Daphne took a deep breath and shook her head a little at the thought, pushing it away. I¡¯m not sure he¡¯s capable of murder, she thought.

    She looked back at him, half expecting him to ask her what was on her mind, but he was back to staring and fiddling with his phone.

    Daphne cleared her throat and started twisting the end of a section of her hair around her fingers. ¡°Are you doing anything fun for Halloween with your family?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Who does anything for Halloween?¡± Gary asked, derision clear in his voice. He still didn¡¯t look up.

    ¡°Um,¡± Daphne replied, surprised by his answer. ¡°I guess I just heard at the office that some families will get together and eat chili and things like that.¡±

    ¡°Must be nice to have a family that likes each other,¡± Gary grumbled, still not looking up.

    Is he seriously going to be on his phone for the entire time? She wondered. Why the hell did he break up with me saying I didn¡¯t spend enough time with him if he¡¯s not even going to be present when I make an effort?

    ¡°Seems like you were less free than I thought you¡¯d be tonight,¡± Daphne said, gesturing at his phone.

    Gary put his phone down, grimacing. ¡°Sorry about that,¡± he said, locking it and putting it off to the side.

    His sudden change in tune made Daphne cock her head to the side a little. ¡°Who are you messaging anyway?¡± she asked as his phone vibrated several times on the table.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a bunch of recruiters,¡± Gary answered, meeting her eyes with his blue ones.

    Daphne raised her eyebrows and looked at her watch. ¡°A bunch of recruiters are messaging you at seven twenty at night?¡± she asked, looking back at him.

    A look of contempt crossed Gary¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re always ragging on me to find a job, and now you¡¯re questioning when the recruiters are messaging me?¡± he asked. ¡°Which is it that you want?¡±

    I¡¯ve been ragging on him? She thought, raising her eyebrows at the statement.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t even brought it up tonight?¡± she pointed out. ¡°Is it not going well?¡± She asked, trying to keep her voice even.

    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Gary replied. ¡°I¡¯m convinced at this point that no one is actually hiring.¡± His phone vibrated several more times across the table.

    ¡°Here¡¯s your food!¡± The server exclaimed, placing the dishes in front of them. ¡°Please let me know if you need anything else, otherwise, enjoy!¡± He had a bright smile on his face.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Daphne replied with a tight smile.

    She looked over at Gary, who didn¡¯t even seem to acknowledge the server, as he was already dumping steak sauce on his food. He started digging into to meat immediately after.

    His phone vibrated several more times. His words from the breakup came to Daphne¡¯s mind¡­about how he had found someone else.

    I shouldn¡¯t say anything, Daphne thought, taking a bite of her food and feeling her fingers tighten around the piece of chicken. I shouldn¡¯t¡­

    ¡°Sure seems like you¡¯re getting a lot of messages from recruiters for someone who¡¯s struggling to find a job,¡± she heard the snide comment come out of her mouth.

    Shit, she thought. I shouldn¡¯t have said that, but I couldn¡¯t help myself.

    Gary stabbed his fork into his meat, hard enough for the tines to clatter against the plate. ¡°You¡¯re sure up in my shit today,¡± he said. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal?¡±

    Fuck, she thought. I¡¯ve definitely done it now.

    Her heart sunk in her chest, but the fire in her blood burned hotter. Seems like I can do no right today, she thought.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she replied, physically retreating back in on herself, but continuing to eat, staring down at her food.

    Does this guy even realize how much of a loser he is? She wondered. I¡¯m appalled that it took him breaking up with me to notice.

    ¡°No,¡± I¡¯m sorry,¡± Gary replied, reaching out and taking her hand that was on the table. ¡°That was too harsh. I didn¡¯t mean it that way.¡±

    Daphne snatched her hand up from his and glared at him. ¡°I asked to spend time with you, and this entire time you¡¯ve been glued to your phone,¡± she snapped. ¡°I tried to make conversation with you and you got angry at me. Did it ever cross your mind to ask me about how my day went?¡± she asked.

    Gary looked a bit taken aback and then nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said with a sigh. He frowned. ¡°I need to do better.¡±

    ¡°I have had one of the worst days that I¡¯ve had in a long time, and I was excited to come out and have a nice dinner with my boyfriend after it all. Instead, I¡¯ve been ignored and you¡¯ve been grouchy.¡± She wiped her hands on a napkin and then crossed her arms.

    That¡¯s probably a half-truth, she thought. Being murdered was probably the worst day I¡¯ve had in a long time, but today is certainly a close second.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­sorry,¡± Gary replied, looking down, and at least looking a little remorseful. ¡°I guess I didn¡¯t think about things from your point of view.¡±

    Daphne grimaced. She wasn¡¯t sure if he was being genuine or not, but she was still upset with him.

    ¡°I told you from the get-go that I wanted a serious relationship,¡± she continued. ¡°You told me that you wanted the same, so why does it feel like I¡¯m the one putting in all of the effort?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said again. ¡°I need to put in more effort.¡± His facial expression did not change, making Daphne doubt his authenticity even more.

    ¡°And you know what!¡± Daphne exclaimed, making some of the other guests in the restaurant glance over at them. She lowered her voice. ¡°I¡¯ve been struggling to make ends meet lately, and I can¡¯t afford to pay you extra money anymore,¡± she said.

    She felt a pit growing in her stomach at the lie she had just told, but she felt, now, more than ever, that what Maggie had told her was right. She should never have started giving Gary extra money in the first place.

    Gary¡¯s fork and knife clattered onto his plate, the knife flying dangerously all over the place. ¡°What?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°I said, I can¡¯t pay you anymore,¡± she repeated.

    ¡°Are you fucking joking?¡± he hissed at her, seemingly in hopes of not drawing further attention to the couple.

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Daphne replied firmly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been relying on you, and now you¡¯re just going to pull the rug out from underneath me?¡± he asked, his face turning red.

    ¡°What choice do I have?¡± Daphne asked, gritting her teeth. ¡°Because I¡¯ve been trying to pay you extra, I¡¯ve barely been able to make my own ends meet.¡±

    ¡°I thought this was a partnership,¡± Gary spat, standing up. ¡°And now I realize I was a fool to trust you.¡±

    His words made Daphne¡¯s stomach twist at the lie she had told him. No, she thought. I need to stand strong if I want to be happy.

    Daphne set her jaw as Gary walked around the table and left. Of course, he probably won¡¯t even pay, either, she thought. Just like he didn¡¯t when he broke up with me. She grabbed her next chicken wing of it and took a bite. Though it had tasted good before, and now it tasted like wet carboard. He¡¯s surprisingly consistently inconsistent, Daphne thought.

    She did her best to finish up her sticky food and asked for a box and the bill. I can feed some of the rest of this steak to Tanpopo as a treat, she thought. As long as it¡¯s not too heavily seasoned. She sighed as the waiter dropped off the box and took away her card.

    I¡¯m not sure any of this helped at all, she thought, the hollow feeling she felt after the breakup returning to her chest. I feel less happy than I did before. Was it worth rocking the boat?

    She signed her name on the receipt and calculated the tip. She stood up, putting her jacket and her scarf on. I guess for now we¡¯re still together, she thought. Though I can¡¯t help but wonder if I ended up speeding up our breakup in the process.

 Chapter 12

    Tanpopo mewed at Daphne as she walked into her apartment. ¡°I¡¯m home, Tanpopo,¡± she said as he wrapped himself up around her legs. She could feel him softly purring against her leg. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± she asked. He meowed back at her, looking up with his sparkling eyes. ¡°Oh you¡¯re so cute,¡± she cooed at him, walking into the kitchen with the filet mignon leftovers.

    She put the container down on the counter and opened up the lid. She picked up the piece of meat and sniffed it, trying to determine how seasoned it was.

    Behind her, she heard Tanpopo getting excited, speaking at her several times in a high-pitched voice.

    Daphne put the meat back into the container, determining it was most likely safe for him. Tanpopo came up next to her and reached one of his white mittened paws up to touch the top of the countertop. ¡°Tanpopo!¡± she exclaimed, her eyes widening a little and laughing at his behavior.

    He meowed at her again, doing his little circle when he was begging for food. She smiled at him and then pulled a fork and a steak knife out of her drawer.

    Daphne carefully cut a few small pieces off of the steak, doing her best to create a size that Tanpopo would be able to eat easily. All the while, he was meowing at her with excitement and rubbing her legs.

    She pulled the few pieces of meat out of the container and squatted down, placing them in front of Tanpopo. He quickly began scarfing them up, and Daphne couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Are you even tasting it?¡± she asked him as he scooped up the last chunk with his tongue.

    His eyes met hers, and she could tell that he was asking for more. She giggled, as he came up and rubbed his body on her legs, effectively knocking her onto the floor.

    She pet him gently, feeling the soft, fluffy fur between her fingers. He purred and sat down next to her, clearly still hoping to get more. She laughed, but it rang hollow inside of her. Daphne¡¯s chest felt heavy and empty.

    ¡°Tanpopo,¡± she murmured softly, rubbing her fingertips on top of his head. ¡°Was my pursuit of happiness a foolish endeavor?¡±

    Tanpopo seemed to be enjoying the attention, looking at her in adoration while her fingertips swirled his fur around.

    ¡°I feel more unhappy than I did before coming back to the past, or this alternative universe¡­whatever this is,¡± she told her cat with a sigh. ¡°Am I really doing the right thing?¡±

    Tanpopo pushed his head up into her hand, as if to tell her that she was. She chuckled a little. ¡°Thank you, for the vote of confidence, bud,¡± she murmured softly.

    She thought about the dinner with Gary and how quickly things went south. ¡°I don¡¯t know that he and I ever fought before,¡± Daphne mumbled. ¡°Was that really the right thing to do? I feel like things have never been worse in our relationship.¡± She scratched Tanpopo¡¯s ears. ¡°Or maybe Gary is just a lost cause¡­¡±

    She bit her lip, feeling her stomach churn at the idea that he may try to end things even sooner this time around. Her eyes stung, and against her will, a couple of tears snuck out from her eyes.

    I don¡¯t want to start over again. But if he¡¯s going to keep being shitty and not make me happy, what else can I do?

    She cleared her eyes and looked over at Tanpopo. His green, yellow eyes were stared into her, and his eyes were big and round, looking at her. He came up close to her torso and rubbed her, wrapping his fluffy tail around the front of her torso.

    ¡°Sorry, bud,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± She started stroking his fur gently again, and he began to softly purr once more. The rhythm of his purr had a calming effect on Daphne, and began to put her at ease, in spite of how bad a day she had.

    She smiled at him, wrapping her arms around him and giving him a little hug. ¡°You¡¯re right, Tanpopo,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re all I need to be happy. Screw everyone else!¡± She raised her fist into the air, and Tanpopo regarded her warily. She giggled a little and offered her hand to him. He happily headbutted into her hand, making sure to rub his entire body on it.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    He turned to look at her, and meowed. He walked up to his food bowl and did his little circle. Daphne laughed a little as a he made a little creaking noise at her. ¡°Why do you sound like an old door?¡± she asked. He meowed at her again, looking at his food bowl and then back at her. ¡°Oh Tanpopo,¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember me feeding you earlier?¡± He meowed back at her, as if he was conversing with her.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need more food,¡± she told him definitively. ¡°You¡¯re just being greedy.¡± He meowed at her in his questioning voice, ending on a high-pitched note. ¡°Yes, greedy,¡± she confirmed as he came back towards her for additional pets.

    She ran her fingers through Tanpopo¡¯s fur, thinking about what had happened over the past few days. I suppose if I¡¯m in the past, that means I might be able to change the future, right? It probably wouldn¡¯t be so straightforward if this is an alternative universe though¡­

    She chewed on her lips. What if I can¡¯t change the future, though? What if I¡¯m doomed to live the last three months of my life miserable and still be murdered at the end of it?

    Daphne¡¯s heart ached at the idea that she might not be able to do anything to prevent her death or the loss of her relationship. What is there to live three months for if I won¡¯t even get a shot at being happy? Am I doomed to repeat these last three months over and over again? Am I actually truly in hell?

    She sighed, sticking her lower lip out and sending the little strands by her eyes flying. No. I can¡¯t let myself get hopeless. Would I really have been sent back into the past or an alternative universe or whatever this is, if I can¡¯t change the future?

    She remembered the mums in the snow, that were not there in her current reality. I refuse to believe that I was sent here without a purpose. But maybe the purpose isn¡¯t what I think it is.

    If I am trying something different¡­and my relationship with Gary is falling apart even sooner than it did before¡­maybe that just means it was doomed to fail since the start. Was there anything I could have ever done at any point in our relationship to save it? Is it something I did? Is it something about who I am? Or is it something about who Gary is? Are we just incompatible?

    She shook her head. Gary aside, the thing that I should be most concerned about changing in the future is the accident. I should be spending my mental energy on trying to figure out who would want me dead¡­ She considered who could have possibly wanted her dead and why.

    Daphne stared up at the fire sprinkler at the top of the wall in her kitchen. She narrowed her eyes at it, thinking through all of the people she may have intentionally, or unintentionally, offended.

    There¡¯s no one. She nodded at herself. I¡¯ve spent my entire life bending over backwards for people, trying to be as convenient as possible for other people, only to end up murdered. Who would have hated me enough to do such a thing? Was it truly random? Is all I really need to do is not be there at that time and place on the day before Christmas eve?

    She reviewed the scene of the accident again in her mind. The squeal of the tires. Being hit from behind. The weight of the truck on her lower body. The woman¡¯s smile.

    Daphne shook her head slowly. No. There is absolutely no way it was just a random accident. A normal person without intent to injure would have called an ambulance. They would not have gotten enjoyment from me dying.

    She chewed on her lips. This is not good. I have no idea where to begin. I have no suspects, and I have no clue what the person might be motivated by. I will need to be sharp and alert from here on out to look for clues.

    She took a deep breath. Outside of that¡­if I¡¯m truly in the past¡­what else would I change? She spun her head, looking for Tanpopo, realizing he had left her, and seeing him across the room in his hammock by the couch. What else has happened these past three months?

    She chewed on her lower lip again, and reviewed any events she could remember. Just like suspects, nothing came to mind. How boring of a life have I lived? I guess I ought to start living for myself then, she thought. Doing things that I want to do instead of keeping my eyes focused on other people. Have I even really been living all of this time?

    And the people around me. How could I have not realized how good of people I was surrounded by? She shook her head at herself. I might have been living to please others, but I was entirely wrapped up in myself. I also want to pay attention to those around me¡­not just so I can find the killer. But also, because I neglected other people far more than I realized.

    She took a deep calming breath. I can do this, she told herself. She stood up slowly and walked over to Tanpopo¡¯s bed.

    Thinking about the accident and how she had somehow come back in time had made her chest feel even more hollow than fighting with Gary had.

    I have to be able to take this on myself. No one would believe me if I told them the truth.

    Tanpopo raised his head up out of the bed and looked up at her tiredly. ¡°At least I have you, Tanpopo,¡± she said with a small smile before gently patting him. ¡°Thank you so much for existing. I don¡¯t know what I would do without you.¡±

 Chapter 13

    Daphne heaved out a heavy sigh. It was Thursday, which meant it was the project manager¡¯s team meeting, first thing in the morning.

    ¡°Are you going to be, okay?¡± Landon asked her as they walked towards the conference room.

    Daphne¡¯s heart was beating fast, and she felt so nauseous that she knew her face was as white as a sheet.

    Maybe I can just claim that I¡¯m sick. If I¡¯m sick, then I can just go home and be with Tanpopo. I won¡¯t have to worry about being humiliated in front of the entire team.

    When Daphne had gone to work Wednesday morning, she had been concerned that she was going to cross paths with Trevor. She was grateful that she hadn¡¯t, but she wished that she had planned to piss Trevor off after the team meeting, rather than a mere two days before.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­not sure,¡± Daphne admitted. She could feel her arms shaking uncontrollably, so she pulled them closer around her chest.

    The pair walked into the conference room, and Daphne saw Holly waiting with a couple of seats next to her. The vice grip that had been clenching Daphne¡¯s heart released a little.

    Right. It¡¯s unlikely that most of my coworkers are going to think badly of me if Trevor attempts to humiliate me. They are more likely to think badly of Trevor.

    Daphne took a deep breath and then nodded at Landon, feeling her stomach steady a little. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to be okay,¡± she told him.

    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± he asked, raising one eyebrow at her. He looked like he didn¡¯t quite believe her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± she said, walking up to the two chairs next to Holly.

    ¡°What are you so sure about?¡± Holly asked with a grin.

    ¡°That I want to sit next to you,¡± Daphne replied back with a small smile. ¡°If you¡¯ll have me anyway.¡±

    Holly let out a small chuckle. ¡°Of course, Daphne,¡± she said. ¡°I actually saved these seats for you both.¡±

    Daphne put her heart over her heart, as it warmed by Holly¡¯s gesture. I don¡¯t know if anyone has ever saved a seat for me, before.

    ¡°How kind, thank you,¡± Daphne said sitting next to Holly.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Holly replied, turning her head to the side a bit, looking a touch confused. ¡°How have things been going for you this week?¡±

    ¡°Eh,¡± Daphne replied shaking her head a little. ¡°Things could be going a lot better for me, to be entirely honest.¡± She bit her lip and then looked back over at Holly. ¡°How have things been going for you this week?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re going alright,¡± Holly replied, shaking the braids off of her shoulder. ¡°Things could be going a lot worse for me, but I¡¯m not content.¡±

    Daphne nodded, agreeing with the sentiment.

    ¡°Trevor seemed to make a big fuss over you earlier this week,¡± Holly said, narrowing her eyes. ¡°What happened?¡±

    Daphne grimaced, the knot tightening in her stomach.

    ¡°The whole office heard him basically screaming at you,¡± Holly added, glancing around the table. ¡°What happened that upset him so much?¡±

    Daphne took a quick peek around the table, looking for Fiona. She wasn¡¯t in the conference room yet, but Daphne did notice that pretty much everyone at the table was discreetly paying attention to their conversation. They don¡¯t want to do whatever it is that I did that pissed Trevor off so much.

    She shook her head at Holly. ¡°It was the stupidest thing,¡± she said. ¡°Trevor was trying to give me additional work, and I said no, that I was already overwhelmed with the amount of stuff going on, and he said that wasn¡¯t acceptable.¡± Daphne widened her eyes, biting her lip. ¡°I realized my work life balance left much to be desired, but apparently saying no to additional work is not allowed.¡±

    Out of the corner of her eye, Daphne saw a few people wearing looks of disgust and shaking their heads. I hope they are agreeing with me and not Trevor¡­

    ¡°What the¡­?¡± Holly¡¯s lips were pulled back into a scowl. ¡°That¡¯s fucked.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I knew that this place and Trevor had some serious problems, but that far surpasses my expectations.¡±

    Someone else nodded and said, ¡°Daphne, you¡¯re literally working so many extra hours already.¡±

    Daphne nodded, frowning at their statement in acknowledgement. ¡°Yep,¡± she murmured.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Did you get through the work alright?¡± Holly asked.

    ¡°It was a whole additional project,¡± Daphne replied. Holly grimaced at her statement. ¡°Thankfully, Asher offered to take it on for me.¡±

    The room¡¯s eyes shifted to Asher who smile brightened his face. Daphne¡¯s eyes widened at how different he looked with a smile, and her heart nearly skipped a beat when his brown eyes met her own.

    ¡°Has it been alright for you, Asher?¡± Holly asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got it handled,¡± Asher replied in his deep, warm voice. ¡°I had a good amount of free time, so it hasn¡¯t been too much of a hassle taking on an extra project.¡±

    Holly looked relieved. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that,¡± she said. ¡°I feel like we¡¯re all pretty busy, and I know, at least for me, it would be a lot to take on an additional project right now.¡±

    Several of the other people, who weren¡¯t even trying to hide that they were listening in, nodded in agreement.

    ¡°It was not a big deal to me,¡± Asher said, shrugging his shoulders, still smiling.

    ¡°How have things been going for you otherwise?¡± Holly asked Asher.

    ¡°They¡¯ve been going great,¡± Asher replied with a small warm smile.

    Holly looked over at Landon, whose face had been growing more concerned over the past few days. ¡°Don¡¯t take this conversation to heart, Landon,¡± she said with a kind smile. ¡°We may have an asshole for a boss, but we¡¯re a team, and we can take care of one another.¡±

    Landon smiled a bit back at Holly, ¡°Thanks,¡± he said. ¡°I was beginning to get a bit worried that I¡¯d made a mistake by accepting this job.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Holly said, drawing out the word.

    Landon chuckled a little and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that,¡± he said.

    Trevor popped into the doorway, looking disheveled. Fiona came in behind him, looking equally unkempt.

    So that¡¯s why. Of course, she¡¯s going to be his favorite if they are messing around together.

    Daphne took a quick glance around the conference table again, and noticed several of her coworkers had faces filled with disdain, including Asher and Holly.

    Looks like I¡¯m not the only one who noticed either. She paused in her thinking, trying to remember if she had previously known that Trevor and Fiona had a thing. Nothing in particular came to mind.

    Have I truly been this oblivious all this time?

    ¡°Thanks everyone for being here on time,¡± Trevor began, smoothing out his hair as Fiona sat into the chair closest to him.

    Daphne couldn¡¯t help but grimace at his statement. She took a quick look at her watch and noticed that Fiona and Trevor were nearly ten minutes late. No wonder we had so much time to talk.

    ¡°It¡¯s been another great week of everyone working hard, and we¡¯re almost through this rough patch,¡± Trevor continued, raising his arm into a tight fist, as if he was trying to inspire the team. No one smiled, not even Fiona, who was busy trying to make her hair look better.

    I wonder if the reason she¡¯s the least hard-working person on our team is because she¡¯s messing around with the boss. Probably on any other team she would have long since been fired.

    ¡°Earlier this week we got another request for a project manager on one of the company¡¯s biggest initiatives right now, and I told them we¡¯d be happy to help,¡± Trevor clapped his hands together.

    Daphne scowled. As if anyone on this time has the time to help with another massive project.

    ¡°And I figured we had the perfect project manager to assign it too,¡± Trevor said, meeting Daphne¡¯s eyes, a malicious smile creeping onto his face.

    Shit, Daphne thought. So, this is how he¡¯s going to try to get his revenge for me saying no.

    ¡°Daphne Woods, I¡¯m going to assign the work to you,¡± Trevor said, nodding as if he was acknowledging her talent rather than being the petty, vengeful asshole he was being.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Daphne replied, pursuing her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t have the time to take on such a large initiative right now.¡±

    Oh God, her heart thundered through her chest. She had said the words without even spending the time to think about it, so they came out snippier than she had intended.

    Trevor just blinked at her a couple of times, as if he was surprised that she hadn¡¯t just accepted it and said, ¡°Yes sir!¡± like he had asked her to.

    ¡°Would you like to repeat what you just said?¡± he asked, his face clearly beginning to redden with anger.

    He¡¯s giving me a chance to retract my words.

    ¡°I said that I¡¯m overwhelmed right now and I am unable to take on any additional work,¡± she repeated herself.

    Trevor¡¯s eyes looked like they were about to bulge out of his head. ¡°¡¯No¡¯ is not an acceptable answer,¡± he screamed in front of the entire team. Several people flinched back, shocked at Trevor¡¯s reaction. ¡°You agreed to say ¡®Yes, sir!¡¯¡± Trevor said, as his yell came down in intensity. ¡°No one is leaving this room until you do.¡±

    Silence fell, and Daphne bit her lower lip, nearly drawing blood. I can¡¯t give in. If I do, I¡¯m going to be working twelve hours a day to get everything done. She took a quick glance around the room. Most of the people were avoiding her and Trevor¡¯s eyes. No one will defend me? So, they¡¯re all willing to tell me to my face that Trevor is treating me badly, but they¡¯re not willing to defend me to his face.

    ¡°Daphne¡­¡± Trevor prompted, clearly warning her.

    ¡°I agree with Daphne,¡± the warm, deep voice she heard earlier said. Everyone¡¯s heads swiveled over to Asher. ¡°You¡¯ve dumped a lot of extra work on her, and she¡¯s barely been holding things together as it is.¡±

    Daphne looked over at Trevor and saw him gritting his teeth. His face was trending towards purple again. ¡°Hawthorne!¡± Trevor barked. ¡°Why don¡¯t you and Daphne work on the project together then?¡± Trevor proposed, his eyes narrowing into slits.

    Asher looked over at Daphne, their eyes meeting again. ¡°Will that work for you?¡± he asked.

    Trevor growled, and Daphne nodded a little. ¡°Say, ¡®yes, sir,¡¯¡± Trevor said, clearly seething.

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the pair said in unison.

    ¡°Good,¡± Trevor said, his face beginning to return to red. ¡°Let it be known that ¡®no¡¯ is not an acceptable answer on this team,¡± he said. ¡°Tell me that you¡¯re going to find a way to make it work instead.¡±

    No one responded, and Trevor continued the meeting, going down the other business items. Daphne looked over at Asher.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he mouthed to her.

    She couldn¡¯t help but smile a little, a warm glow growing in her heart. She put her hand on the table and gave Asher a thumbs up.

    She turned away, the smile continuing to grow on her face. It feels nice to have someone defend me. I wonder if the Asher of the past would have done that¡­or if my actions are truly changing the future into something different. She chewed on her lip, the smile fading on her face a little. I guess he could be a different Asher, too.

    Either way, the smile sneaking its way back onto her face, how nice it feels to have someone defend me.

 Chapter 14

    Daphne chewed on her lip. I¡¯ve never worked on a project with anyone else on my team before, she thought. And Asher is so competent. What if he thinks I¡¯m incompetent?

    Even the thought was enough to make Daphne ready to puke. She clutched her hands together, wringing them, trying to calm herself down. It¡¯s going to be fine. I doubt he would have offered to help me if he thought I was incapable.

    She looked at the clock on her computer. Landon had left about twenty minutes earlier, and she had told Asher she had a few more things to get done before she could meet with him. Really, she had just been trying to calm herself down enough to work with him, while using the time to get a few extra things done in the process.

    She took a deep breath. The extra time had done nothing for her confidence. Just look at it as an opportunity to learn from him, she tried to convince herself.

    She grabbed her phone and opened it up to text Gary. At the very least, I should make plans so that I have an excuse to leave if he starts steam rolling me.

    Do you want to meet up tonight? She texted. Maybe go for a walk at the park by the caf¨¦?

    It took only a few seconds before she saw the three dots suggesting Gary was typing back to her already.

    Sure, he had written, and nothing else.

    Daphne grimaced as she grabbed her laptop and a notebook to bring over to Asher¡¯s desk. Maybe I should have made plans with someone else. Today doesn¡¯t exactly seem like the best day to spend with Gary. She swallowed hard, chewing on the inside of her cheek. I guess there¡¯s still a possibility that we could reconcile from the fight. I just struggle to see how. He¡¯s probably still butt hurt that I can¡¯t pay him anymore.

    She sighed, attempting to put thoughts aside, and walked over to Asher¡¯s cubicle.

    ¡°Hey,¡± she said to the back of his head. ¡°Sorry it took longer to finish than I expected,¡± she said.

    He spun around in his chair and gave her a half smile. ¡°No problem,¡± he said, gesturing to a chair that he had put next to his. He had even cleaned off a portion of his desk for her to set up her laptop at. Although, his desk wasn¡¯t all that messy to begin with.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said, sitting down and unloading her arms on the space he had provided. ¡°Hopefully you didn¡¯t have important plans after work today.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, not at all,¡± Asher said, turning back to his computer.

    Daphne let out a small breath that she hadn¡¯t even realized she had been holding. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± she murmured.

    He was loading something up on his computer and pulling it up on the monitor between them. ¡°So, I got the run down from Trevor about what all this project would entail,¡± he said in his deep voice.

    Wow, straight to business. Her heart sank a little.

    ¡°It¡¯s not as rigorous as Trevor said it would be,¡± Asher continued. ¡°He was probably trying to make it sound worse than it was to punish you.¡±

    Daphne nodded. ¡°Probably,¡± she agreed.

    ¡°Sorry I couldn¡¯t get you out of it entirely,¡± Asher apologized, looking back towards her and briefly meeting her eyes. She swallowed hard when their eyes met, but he looked away almost immediately, which made her to slouch a little.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± she said. ¡°He was just being petty.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one way to see it,¡± Asher replied, and Daphne saw his dark eyebrows quickly raise and fall. ¡°Still,¡± he said. ¡°My hope is that I can do the lion¡¯s share of the work, so you are able to stay on top of all of your other projects you¡¯re working on, plus training Landon.¡± He shook his head and sighed. ¡°Sure seems like Trevor tried to dump everything on you this week.¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Daphne agreed, wringing her hands. She chewed on her upper lip, unsure of what else to say.

    ¡°Anyway, the project,¡± Asher said, turning towards the monitor that was between the two of them. ¡°Let me walk you through what I learned from Trevor so you can decide what you¡¯d like to work on.¡±

    ¡°That sounds good,¡± Daphne agreed, scooting a bit closer so that she could see the screen better.

    As he moved the mouse, the scent of wood and laundry hit her nose. She pursed her lips, doing her best to quiet her reaction.

    ¡°I spent a good portion of the afternoon trying to figure out the best way to divvy the project up between the two of us,¡± he said.

    Daphne snuck a quick glance at his face. His eyelashes were long and dark, and sharply contrasted the white light that was coming from the screen. As his eyes were scanning over the monitor, Daphne noticed that in a certain light, his warm brown eyes had flecks of green in them. While his nose was a little big on the end, his lips were smooth and thinner than her own. His hair was a true black, similar to her own, with no brown or blue mixed in. He wore it a bit long, as it nearly touched his neck, and Daphne was able to see the slightest hint of waviness in it. Despite the body that his hair had, rather than being frizzy, it had a nice sheen in the light, as if it was incredibly well kept. Along the edge of his jaw, a dark line of stubble grew. I¡¯m pretty sure that wasn¡¯t there this morning. His jaw was more defined than she¡¯d ever seen on a man before.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Holy shit. Asher doesn¡¯t just have a great smile. He¡¯s incredibly handsome as well.

    She shook her head at herself. She did her best to look back at the monitor and pay attention to what he was saying. How did I miss his appearance before?<u> </u>Was I really so into Gary that I didn¡¯t notice?

    ¡°What do you think?¡± he asked as she focused her eyes back on the screen and the virtual whiteboard he had been presenting to her the entire time. ¡°Is there anything that stands out to you that you¡¯d prefer to work on over anything else?¡±

    Daphne¡¯s eyes widened and she looked at the floor. I should have been paying attention to what he was saying. She groaned internally. I¡¯m going to make myself look like a complete fool now.

    ¡°Umm,¡± she responded, looking back at the monitor.

    He turned his chair to face her and smirked. Daphne bit her tongue. Oh God. Did he notice?

    ¡°What do you think about what I said about you taking roughly twenty percent of the work?¡± he asked. ¡°And putting together the slideshows for me? I¡¯ve seen some of your presentations in the past, and they were exceptionally professional,¡± he said.

    Daphne felt her eyes widen a bit. He¡¯s seen my presentations in the past? When?

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay taking on eighty percent of the work?¡± she asked him, narrowing her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m more than happy to take that amount of work on,¡± he replied with a small smile and nod.

    Daphne frowned at him. ¡°You took on a whole extra project from Fiona this week, too,¡± she pointed out to him, cocking her head a little.

    It was his turn to narrow his eyes at her. ¡°I also told you that Trevor way overblew the amount of work that is going to be involved in this project,¡± he said.

    ¡°But still,¡± she protested, crossing her arms. Even still, she knew that it was a weak argument.

    ¡°But still nothing,¡± he shot back. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal,¡± he added, shrugging his shoulders.

    She stuck out her lips further and narrowed her eyes at him again, crossing her arms. ¡°I don¡¯t buy it,¡± she said.

    He let out a low chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± he promised.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°I¡¯ll agree to it, only if you promise to let me know if you get overwhelmed so I can help,¡± she said.

    ¡°Deal,¡± Asher said with a smirk. ¡°Though I can promise right now that I won¡¯t be getting overwhelmed anytime soon.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so cocky if I were you,¡± Daphne replied, turning her nose up a bit at him. ¡°Because you helped me out, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re on Trevor¡¯s shit list now too.¡±

    Asher nodded his head to the left and the right a little, frowning. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s a fair point,¡± he conceded. ¡°In that case, I promise that I¡¯ll let you know if I get overwhelmed.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Daphne replied with a smug smile. ¡°Does the project team need a set of slides to start?¡± she asked.

    ¡°They do,¡± Asher replied, turning back to his computer.

    ¡°When do they need them by?¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Asher replied, wrinkling up his nose and pulling one side of his upper lip back from his teeth.

    Daphne let out a heavy, quick breath. ¡°God, Trevor is such a prick,¡± she murmured softly.

    ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± Asher mumbled back. ¡°The man genuinely makes me wonder how he got any sort of leadership position in the first place.¡±

    Daphne grimaced and then rolled her eyes. ¡°Literally anyone else on the team would be better.¡±

    ¡°I think Holly would make a great manager,¡± he replied. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Daphne¡¯s eyes widened a bit, and then she nodded with a small smile. ¡°I think you¡¯re spot on,¡± she agreed. ¡°Will you send me the information they need on their slides?¡± she asked, turning back to the work at hand.

    Asher hit enter. ¡°Already doing that,¡± he said.

    Daphne chuckled a little. ¡°Thanks.¡±

    She pulled up his message and started pulling the information into a plain set of slides.

    ¡°Do you have any fun plans this weekend?¡± Asher asked her as they worked side by side one another.

    ¡°Not really,¡± she answered, ¡°I¡¯ll probably be hanging out with my cat,¡± she added.

    ¡°You have a cat?¡± he asked, surprised.

    ¡°I do,¡± she replied, a small smile playing on her lips. ¡°His name is Tanpopo, and he¡¯s a little silly tuxedo boy,¡± she said.

    ¡°That¡¯s a cute name,¡± Asher said. ¡°Does it mean anything special?¡±

    Daphne laughed a little. ¡°No,¡± she replied. ¡°The shelter I got him from said that he was found in a dandelion field by a woman who primarily spoke Japanese. Apparently Tanpopo means dandelion in Japanese. I thought it was cute, so I kept it.¡± A grin had spread across her face, and she turned to look at Asher. He had a friendly smile on his face. Their eyes met again, and Daphne¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    ¡°That¡¯s adorable.¡±

    Daphne had to look away and press her lips together to prevent herself from grinning like a fool. Asher¡¯s adorable too.

    ¡°He¡¯s super precious,¡± she replied, looking back at her laptop, feeling her face warm a little. ¡°He makes my life so much better.¡±

    ¡°I would have never pictured you as a cat person,¡± he said, his voice amiable. ¡°I also have a cat.¡±

    ¡°You do?¡± she asked, glancing over at him, her mouth falling agape. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have pictured you as a pet person at all,¡± she said.

    He chuckled. ¡°I do.¡±

    ¡°Can I see a picture?¡± she blurted out.

    ¡°Of course,¡± he said, pulling his phone out of the pocket of his slacks. Daphne went back to the slides as he was looking for a picture. ¡°Here he is,¡± Asher said, turning the phone towards her.

    The cat was white and buff and had yellowish eyes that seemed to be looking slightly off center. He had a dopey-looking face that was nearly as cute as he was dorky.

    ¡°Oh my gosh, he¡¯s so cute!¡± Daphne exclaimed. ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Pippin,¡± he answered with a wide grin that made Daphne¡¯s heart stutter. He turned his phone away from her, staring at the picture. ¡°I know exactly what you mean about Tanpopo making your life better. Pippin makes mine so much better as well.¡±

    Daphne grinned and went back to the slides. ¡°Nothing compares to coming home and being greeted by a creature who missed you.¡±

    ¡°Nothing compares,¡± Asher agreed.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Daphne said, working on the slides. ¡°Do you have any exciting plans this weekend?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± he answered. ¡°Probably just catching up on some life things I¡¯ve fallen behind on, and maybe going for a hike or something like that.¡±

    ¡°Oh, a hike,¡± Daphne said with a nod. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have pinned you as an outdoorsy type either.¡±

    ¡°Oh, well, you know,¡± he replied, chuckling and seeming a bit embarrassed. ¡°I only really get to go when I have time.¡±

    ¡°It sounds interesting at least,¡± she said with a polite nod.

    ¡°Yeah, it is,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe we could go together sometime.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, maybe,¡± Daphne agreed.

    Maybe, if I survive this winter, first. I¡¯m not doing anything dangerous until after Christmas.

    ¡°Do you have any plans for this evening?¡± Asher asked as Daphne was putting the final touches on the slides. ¡°My friend is opening a bar, and tonight is the grand opening.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s cool,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°Unfortunately, I already made plans with my boyfriend for tonight,¡± she said, glancing over at Asher.

    ¡°Ahh, I see,¡± he replied, their eyes meeting. He was frowning.

    Daphne bit the inside of her lip. ¡°Sorry,¡± she added.

    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± he replied. ¡°Perhaps another time then.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± she said with a smile as she sent him the slides.

 Chapter 15

    Daphne met up with Gary at the corner of the park near her apartment. I wonder if he even realizes how close to my apartment is to this park. He walked up to meet her.

    ¡°Thanks for taking the time to see me,¡± Daphne said as he reached her.

    Gary responded with a smile and a nod. ¡°We¡¯ve been seeing a lot of each other these days,¡± he said. As they began to walk down the path, Gary whipped out his cellphone and began texting again.

    ¡°We have,¡± Daphne agreed.

    She looked over at him, completely buried in his phone once more. Surely it won¡¯t be like dinner the other night, right? Surely, he will have realized how rude he was being¡­

    Their pace was slow, slower than Daphne ever walked normally. I wonder if I were to stroll casually away, if he would even notice¡­or care¡­

    She let out a heavy breath and pursed her lips. Patience, Daphne. Give him at least five minutes before you start getting angry.

    She looked up at the trees that were overhanging the walkway. The leaves were beginning to change a bit, the green leaves spotted with bits of yellow dots. I wonder when the colors were brilliant. Or when the leaves were mostly gone. She chewed on her lips. I have no clue.

    Her heart started slowly sinking in her chest. I didn¡¯t just neglect the people around me. I neglected to pay attention to anything.

    She sighed softly to herself. I truly buried my head into my work. It was buried so deep that I noticed nothing and failed to relax or appreciate anything. When was the last time I just spent my time enjoying life? She wracked her mind, trying to come up with the last time she had let herself be free. Nothing came to mind.

    Daphne looked behind her to see how far they had walked. It was a decent distance, considering how slowly they were meandering. She looked over at Gary, who was still on his phone. His hand nearest to her caught her eyes. How long has it been since we last held hands? She expected her heart to start palpitating, but nothing happened.

    She shook her head slowly at herself. I remember feeling excited and desperate to get him to hold my hand. Where did those emotions go?

    She thought back to the memories of their relationship prior to the accident. She had been lucky to get to spend one day a week with him. He had been physically affectionate when they¡¯d first got together, but looking back now, she could see that the physical closeness of their relationship had quickly disappeared. I don¡¯t even know the last time that Gary tried to kiss me.

    She glanced over at him, and he was still moving his thumbs at a thousand miles per minute on his phone. How did we last for six months in the past? Was it truly because we didn¡¯t spend so much time together?

    Daphne¡¯s heart ached. I wish we could go back to how things were when we first got together, before he lost his job.

    She stretched her neck, hearing it creak as she did. If I leave him alone for a couple of days, will we be able to go back to how things were in the past? She paused in her thinking. It¡¯s worth a shot, I guess.

    Her gut told her another story. It twisted around, suggesting that the end of their relationship was neigh, no matter how much she wished it was not.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    She looked over at Gary, who was still focused solely on his phone. ¡°Gary¡­¡± she whispered. He didn¡¯t look at her. ¡°Gary¡­¡± she said louder.

    He turned to look at her, a dirty look on his face. ¡°What?¡± he asked, his voice clearly annoyed.

    ¡°If you¡¯re just going to be on your phone the whole time, why do you bother saying you¡¯re free?¡± she spat back.

    ¡°The fuck?¡± he asked, then looked at his watch for the time. ¡°Shit, sorry, Daph,¡± he said, scowling and putting his phone away. ¡°I got carried away and didn¡¯t notice how much time had passed.¡±

    Daphne had to turn away from him because she was unable to remove the sneer from her face.

    She felt his hand capture hers, intertwining his fingers through hers. She looked over at him, her eyes widening. When was the last time he reached for my hand on his own?  She wondered. Do I really have to nag and beg for him to pay attention to me?

    Her stomach twisted around in her gut, and she felt a bit nauseous from it flip flopping so much. This feels¡­wrong¡­

    ¡°Daphne¡­¡± Gary said, capturing her attention. His facial expression seemed simultaneously forlorn and annoyed.

    ¡°Yes?¡± she asked, raising her eyebrows.

    ¡°Why are you trying so hard all of the sudden?¡± he asked. ¡°I felt like what we had was just right for us.¡±

    Daphne grimaced at his comment. I guess he was lying when we broke up. Or this Gary is different enough from my own that he doesn¡¯t want the same things.

    She couldn¡¯t ignore the growing feeling inside of her that had slowly been expanding over the days she¡¯d been living in what seemed like the past. Even if she truly wasn¡¯t in the past, the people around her seemed motivated by the same things that the ones she had known had been.

    ¡°Well,¡± she started, biting her lip. ¡°I realized that I spend a lot of time just working and that it¡¯s a bad habit. I figured that I was probably also neglecting you as well¡­¡± She trailed off and looked over at him. Their eyes met, and for once, his expression was unreadable.

    ¡°I appreciate you thinking of me,¡± he said. ¡°But I didn¡¯t feel neglected by you at all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to know,¡± Daphne replied with a nod, feeling her chest grow heavier as the conversation continued. ¡°Sorry for assuming that.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re fine,¡± he said, waving off her apology. ¡°Everyone makes mistakes like that from time to time.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Daphne replied, the knot in her stomach loosening. ¡°I appreciate you being so understanding.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Gary replied with a small smile. ¡°But is there any chance we can go back to how things were before you started thinking you were neglecting me?¡±

    Some of the tension came loose in Daphne¡¯s chest, but not all of it. ¡°Sure,¡± she replied with a small smile of her own.

    ¡°Can we also go back to you helping me out with expenses?¡± Gary asked, giving Daphne a pleading look. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to figure out how to make ends meet for my mom and I ever since last night¡­¡± he shook his head. ¡°And to be entirely honest, I can¡¯t find a way to make it happen.¡±

    The pressure quickly came back into Daphne¡¯s chest, nearly making her gasp for breath. Was all I was to this man, a wallet? Did he look at me and just see a piggy bank?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Daphne replied, frowning. ¡°That¡¯s not something I can go back on. I am also struggling to make ends meet for myself. I didn¡¯t revoke that money to punish you.¡±

    The weight of her own words felt like a punch to the gut, but she was finally beginning to see Maggie¡¯s point. She should have never given Gary money in the first place.

    ¡°Are you fucking kidding me, Daphne?¡± Gary shouted, yanking his hand out of hers. He pulled so hard that Daphne¡¯s wrist bent a little too far.

    ¡°Ow, what the fuck?¡± she yelled back, rubbing her wrist.

    ¡°You have absolutely no shame, do you?¡± he said. ¡°There is no way you could be struggling, coming from the wealthy ass family you belong to!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Daphne asked, her voice shrill. She had never even told him what kind of family she was from, and while her mother wasn¡¯t poor, Daphne wasn¡¯t exactly a heiress either.

    ¡°I¡¯m out,¡± Gary replied, raising his hands both up, spinning on his heel and striding away from her.

    Daphne watched his retreating back, as he pulled out his cellphone and immediately began texting again. ¡°What the fuck?¡± she mumbled to herself, still rubbing her wrist.

    His back walking away from her and reaction to her words made it clear in Daphne¡¯s mind that the next time they saw one another, they were going to break up.

    He fucking targeted me because my mother is a famous gardener, Daphne thought. What the hell? That is not something I thought I¡¯d ever have to worry about.

    She turned around and started walking briskly back to her apartment. She thought about Tanpopo and how he would probably beg for food as soon as she got in.

    At least I have Popo to look forward to in my life. She gritted her teeth. Since everything else seems to be falling apart.

 Chapter 16

    A woman laughed loudly in the cubicle next to Daphne¡¯s. ¡°Oh my God, Fiona! That¡¯s hilarious!¡± the woman exclaimed, giggling even more.

    Daphne couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. Are you kidding me? Fiona is not only going to be deadweight, but she¡¯s actively going to sabotage the other workers as well?

    The woman¡¯s laughing went up an octave and somehow got noisier simultaneously. Daphne harshly sucked in a breath through her nose. It¡¯s Friday, it¡¯s been a shitty week, and this is the tenth day in a row that I have worked. I don¡¯t have the patience for this.

    She looked over at Landon who seemed chipper, despite the hubbub. Or maybe I¡¯m just in a bad mood because Trevor attempted to dump additional work on me¡­again¡­this morning. Daphne bit her tongue to keep a look of resentment off her face. It¡¯s only thanks to Asher, Holly and Landon that this day has been salvageable at all.

    ¡°Hey Landon,¡± Daphne said, while trying to force her face to go back to a more neutral expression.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± he asked, turning his chair to look at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to go warm up my lunch. Do you need anything from the kitchen while I¡¯m up?¡±

    ¡°Nope, I¡¯m good, thanks for asking,¡± he replied, turning away from her.

    ¡°No problem,¡± she said, standing. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she peeked over the partition between her and Fiona¡¯s cubicle to see the woman who was making such a fuss.

    Daphne couldn¡¯t see her face, but a woman sat on a stool facing Fiona, and had long, elaborately styled dark hair, and was wearing a bright pink outfit.

    Daphne looked away, grimacing. I doubt that she¡¯s all that good of a person if she¡¯s friends with Fiona.

    As Daphne began briskly walking towards the kitchen, she heard Fiona¡¯s high pitched, nasally laugh. They even laugh similarly. Her eyes narrowed. And of course, Trevor is probably going to let go an outsider coming into our office if they¡¯re here to see Fiona.

    Rolling her eyes at the absurdity of it all, Daphne pulled her leftovers out of the fridge and popped them into the microwave to heat.

    The woman¡¯s laugh echoed all the way over to the kitchenette area. What the hell? She¡¯s even louder than I realized. How can someone live that obnoxiously? She shook her head. Since she¡¯s here during the day, I¡¯d guess she probably doesn¡¯t have a job either.

    Daphne grimaced, being reminded of Gary as she watched the microwave timer slowly tick downwards. I need a distraction. She pulled her phone out of her pants pocket. Immediately, she noticed that she had a text message, and from all the people it possibly could have been, it was from Gary himself.

    Can we meet up tonight? He had written. At our usual spot in the caf¨¦?

    Daphne¡¯s stomach flip flopped. He certainly wasted me no time kicking me to the curb this time around. Not that I want to stay with him either¡­it¡¯s just going to be so hard to start over. She chewed on her lower lip.

    At least I tried this time. I put in the effort to fix the relationship. I worked my ass off to ensure that I would have time to spend with him after work. But at the end of the day, none of that matters if we want different things. She felt her heart ache. And I know all he wanted from me was money.

    She knew she had been avoiding the truth, probably even longer than she had been in the past for. Even before she had come back, the fire between them had long since been dead. Even though he had claimed that she didn¡¯t spend enough time with him because of her work, the truth was that he also not tried to spend time with her either. She had been the one making plans for them, reaching out to him, and making the relationship happen. He had only bothered to contact her when he wanted money.

    Her eyes stung a little, knowing that like many of the other problems she¡¯d been having in her life, she had buried her head in the sand in order to avoid an inconvenient truth.

    She made a face as if she was going to sneeze in order to prevent the tears from falling. The last thing she wanted was to cry on a Friday in the office.

    Daphne tried to summon up the anger that she had felt toward Gary only the night before, to distract herself from her current emotions. Remember how he flicked my wrist. Remember how he targeted me because of my mother¡¯s money.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    It wasn¡¯t working, and the microwave beeped, telling her that its time was up.

    She took a heavy, shaky breath and then nodded, looking at the message from Gary again. What time are you thinking?

    She took her food out of the microwave and stirred it, the steam a small comfort on, as her chest was beginning to feel as though ice was growing inside of it.

    Daphne navigated to the text messages with Maggie in her phone. Maggie¡­ she typed. I¡¯m pretty sure that my boyfriend is going to break up with me tonight.

    From across the office, Daphne heard the mystery woman and Fiona laughing again. God, what I would give to be so carefree.

    Maggie replied nearly immediately, the phone in Daphne¡¯s hand vibrating only moments after the screen had gone black. What a prick, Maggie had written. He claims he¡¯s not getting enough time with you and then turns around and breaks up with you when you give him what he wants?

    A second text message came in. Still, I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re dealing with this, Daph. How shitty. She added a sad face at the end of the message.

    Daphne felt her heart squeeze more at her sister¡¯s response. Even if he is a prick¡­ That doesn¡¯t mean the breakup will be easy.

    Thanks, Daphne wrote back.

    I¡¯ll be on standby if you need support this evening, Maggie replied. Though, if you want to see me, you¡¯ll probably have to come out and hang out with me and the kiddos.

    Daphne half frowned, looking down at the microwaved food, and taking out a bite with her fork. She touched it to her lips and noticed it was still piping hot.

    Thanks, she typed back. I¡¯ll let you know.

    How is the job going? Maggie asked. Has it gotten any better at all?

    Daphne had to hold back a single laugh at her sister¡¯s question. It¡¯s worse, she replied.

    Guess we should spend some time looking for other jobs this weekend, Maggie replied. I can do my best to help.

    Daphne¡¯s heart warmed a little at the thought of working with her sister to look for jobs. Thanks, she replied. I¡¯ll let you know based on how tonight goes.

    Maggie sent back a thumbs up, and as Daphne was going to close the messaging part of her phone, another text from Gary popped up.

    How about seven? He asked.

    I¡¯ll be there, Daphne sent back, the cold wind beginning to blow in her chest again.

    One last message popped up from Maggie. Love and miss you, sister, she had written. Sorry you are having to go through what you are going through.

    Daphne felt her eyes sting again. She bit her lower lip, attempting to reign in her emotions until she could be completely alone.

    Love and miss you too, Daphne replied before pocketing her phone.

    Daphne took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Pull yourself together, just for now, she thought, grabbing the microwaved food. She began the walk back to her desk, her stomach twisting up in knots. It felt like no matter what she had done or tried, nothing was going her way.

    Is this some cruel twist of fate? Is it impossible for me to escape the events of my future, regardless of how hard I try?

    Swallowing hard, she walked up to her cubicle and realized that her chair had been taken by the mystery woman, and Fiona was leaning on her desk next to Landon.

    What the hell?

    ¡°Daphne!¡± Landon exclaimed, a smile widening on his face. Daphne couldn¡¯t help but think that if he was a dog, his tail would be wagging. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±

    ¡°I, um, am back,¡± she said, smiling half-heartedly. ¡°Should I go sit back in the kitchen area?¡± she asked.

    Son of a bitch. I shouldn¡¯t have offered that. I was going to try to get some work done over lunch. Me and my god damn mouth.

    ¡°Maybe in a minute,¡± the mystery woman replied with a smirk on her face. ¡°I¡¯ve been dying to meet the ¡®incredible¡¯ woman who has been training my boyfriend. His word,¡± she clarified. ¡°Not mine.¡±

    Landon laughed awkwardly. Fiona sneered at Daphne in the corner.

    ¡°I¡¯m, uh, sorry?¡± Daphne asked. Her mind felt as though it was processing faster than she could talk.

    Am I getting ganged up on right now for doing my job? Though the woman seemed as though she was trying to come off as pleasant, the undercurrent of her behavior seemed more jealous and possessive than friendly.

    ¡°Daphne, this is my girlfriend, Rose,¡± Landon said. ¡°Rose, this is Daphne, who I told you was training me.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± Daphne said, deciding to at least feign ignorance of Rose¡¯s behavior¡­for now.

    ¡°You clearly called her incredible,¡± Rose said to Landon, still sneering at Daphne. ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± she added. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you from both Landon and Fiona.¡±

    Daphne glanced over at Fiona in the corner, whose eyes were glowing maliciously.

    ¡°I-I see,¡± Daphne replied, attempting to smile professionally. ¡°Hopefully most of them have been good things.¡±

    ¡°So far, it¡¯s seemed as though the apple doesn¡¯t fall too far from the tree,¡± Rose replied, her eyes flashing for a moment.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­sorry?¡± Daphne asked, tilting her head a little. ¡°Have we met before or something?¡± Daphne¡¯s heart started to pick up in pace. Rose¡¯s eyes were studying her the same way a predator looked at its prey.

    ¡°Not that I¡¯m aware of,¡± Rose replied, breaking eye contact, her brown eyes drifting over to Landon. He was studying his girlfriend¡¯s behavior closely. ¡°All I ask is that you keep your hands off Landon,¡± she continued, turning back towards Daphne, a self-satisfied look plastered on her face. ¡°Keep it professional and never see him out of work.¡±

    ¡°Rose,¡± Landon snapped. ¡°You¡¯re out of line.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± Daphne replied smoothly. ¡°I have a boyfriend.¡±

    For about six more hours, anyway, she added silently.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that,¡± Rose said, her voice actually matching her words for once.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Daphne said, as Rose¡¯s face contorted into a look that made it clear that Daphne was no longer wanted. ¡°I am going to go eat my lunch now. So. Enjoy,¡± she said with a fake smile.

    Daphne turned away and began meandering back to the kitchen, her stomach swirling. Her throat felt tight, and her chest felt as though she was being crushed.

    What did she mean by the apple not falling too far from the tree? Is¡­ She swallowed hard at the thought that was coming to mind. Is it possible that Landon¡¯s girlfriend¡­knows my mother?

 Chapter 17

    Daphne walked into the caf¨¦, her stomach churning and full of knots. From the brief walk to the caf¨¦, she was out of breath, even walking at a slow pace.

    No matter how I feel, this is not going to be easy. It¡¯s only been five days since Gary and broke up the first time, and even though I did everything in my power to avoid it, here it is, about to happen again.

    She took a deep breath. I can do this. She pumped her fists, trying to make herself feel a miniscule amount better.

    Daphne took a couple of steps forward, when suddenly, an arm flashed out in front of her, blocking her way. Her eyebrows raised and her eyes widened and she looked over to where the arm was coming from. It was the cashier, a different one than the usual few that Daphne saw.

    ¡°Wait,¡± the cashier said to her.

    ¡°Wait?¡± Daphne asked, furrowing her brow and tilting her head to the side. ¡°Someone is waiting for me, why do you want me to wait?¡±

    Daphne quickly glanced over at the caf¨¦¡¯s seating area, and her eyes found Gary. There were only a few other tables filled, making the crowd sparse and easy to search through. Gary¡¯s back was turned towards the cashier and Daphne, meaning whatever the cashier wanted would not be seen by him.

    ¡°Yes, wait,¡± the cashier insisted. ¡°I wanted to ask you a question,¡± she said. ¡°If you¡¯d be willing to follow me over here.¡± She pointed to the alcove that led to the two restrooms. She wrapped her hand around Daphne¡¯s wrist and started pulling her over.

    Daphne followed her, the knot that was already in her stomach tightening further. Did I do something wrong? Am I about to get banned from coming to this caf¨¦?

    The cashier pulled her into the short hallway. ¡°You said you¡¯re meeting someone, right?¡± The cashier asked. ¡°Does that person happen to be that guy right over there?¡± She pointed at the back of Gary¡¯s head.

    Daphne¡¯s heart stuttered as her eyebrows rose. Did Gary do something wrong? Is she about to ask me to pay his tab off or something?

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Daphne replied gingerly.

    ¡°Does he happen to be your boyfriend?¡± the cashier asked.

    Daphne narrowed her eyes, her suspicion of Gary¡¯s possible debt growing. ¡°He is,¡± she replied carefully.

    ¡°I thought so,¡± the casher replied, nodding curtly. ¡°I saw you both walking in the park yesterday when I was on break.¡±

    Daphne frowned at the cashier. This definitely never happened before. Though I suppose Gary and I have been doing more couple oriented things than we did in the past¡­I suppose it¡¯s also unlikely that we walked in the park before, and met at this particular caf¨¦ on this particular Friday night in the past as well¡­ She chewed on her lip. What is going on? She wondered.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± She replied to the cashier, attempting to prompt the woman for her reasoning behind pulling Daphne aside.

    ¡°Well, I wanted to confirm you were his girlfriend before I told you something¡­¡± the casher replied, chewing on her bottom lip and wringing her hands.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m his girlfriend,¡± Daphne replied more firmly this time. ¡°So, what is it you want to say?¡±

    The cashier squirmed under Daphne¡¯s gaze, clearly uncomfortable with whatever it was she had to say.

    What could she be so uneasy about telling me? She considered Gary¡¯s behavior. He¡¯s normally pretty polite to servers, waitstaff, and other service workers, so why¡­?

    It hit Daphne, all of a sudden, like a sack load of bricks. Her heart and body ached under the weight of her realization. He¡¯d told her that her family was rich, he¡¯d never put in all that much effort to find a job, the entire week she¡¯d spent with him after coming back from the future, he had been on his phone, texting constantly¡­His behavior that was inconsistent with the words he¡¯d said to her when he¡¯d broken up with her the first time, and now that she was back in the past, he¡¯d acted as though it was annoying that she wanted to spend time with him.

    He never wanted a serious relationship to begin with. He¡¯s been playing with me, only after my money this whole time. Our relationship was an ever exclusive to him¡­he has plenty of women funding his lifestyle. When I became inconvenient this time around, he decided he was done. When he found someone with more wealth than me last time, he was done.

    Daphne swallowed hard, her stomach souring and her knees weak. She put her hand onto the wall to help steady herself and keep herself upright.

    ¡°Well,¡± the cashier said, still hesitating at the idea of telling Daphne. Her next words came out as a jumbled mess, and it was only because Daphne had just realized what was going on that she was able to keep up. ¡°I normally work on day shift, and he comes here a lot, you know? He¡¯s here a lot during the day, and usually he comes with a different woman. It¡¯s not even the same woman every single time either, sometimes there are even multiple within the same day. I¡¯ve been trying to tell all of them that I can, because they all seem to believe that he¡¯s their boyfriend and that they¡¯re exclusive¡­¡± The cashier bit her lip, pausing her words. ¡°There are a few that haven¡¯t believed me, but I promise you, I¡¯m telling the truth. I¡¯m not interested in dating him, he¡¯s way too old for me, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that¡­¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Daphne cut her off. ¡°I believe you,¡± she said.

    The cashier blinked at her a few times. ¡°You do?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± Daphne confirmed. ¡°There have been plenty of signs that something like this was going on. I just¡­¡± Daphne swallowed hard, her ego still feeling bruised by the realization of what Gary had been doing to her the whole time. ¡°¡­didn¡¯t want to accept it,¡± Daphne finished.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it with my own eyes,¡± the cashier said with a nod. ¡°And he never pays for anything. It¡¯s always the girl who pays.¡±

    Daphne shook her head, her stomach threatening to release what little liquid was inside of it. That means the money he used for our first dates was actually another woman¡¯s¡¯ money. Daphne tasted bile in the back of her throat.

    ¡°Thank you for telling me,¡± Daphne said. ¡°Is there any chance you¡¯d be able to get me a water?¡± she asked.

    The cashier looked a bit taken aback. ¡°A-a water?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yep, a water for me tor drink,¡± Daphne confirmed. ¡°Also, keep up the great work telling all the women he¡¯s trying to scam,¡± Daphne added.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± the cashier said with a nod. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be right back with a water.¡±

    Daphne bit her lower lip as she watched the cashier walk away from her, her shoulders slumping, and her face and ears feeling hot. All this time¡­ For the entire six months I was with him before, he had been cheating. When I was complaining that he wasn¡¯t paying attention to me in person earlier this week¡­he was texting other women. Daphne felt her chin tremble a little. He made an absolute fool out of me, and I was too consumed by the idea of him¡­of being in a relationship¡­to notice.

    Gary began looking around the caf¨¦ for her. I don¡¯t want him to see me like this. She turned away from him to face the wall. I probably look like a weirdo. But that¡¯s better than what I actually am. She chewed on her tongue, biting back the stinging in her eyes. I know he should be ashamed of his actions, and not me, but still¡­

    ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± Daphne heard the cashier¡¯s voice again. ¡°I¡¯ve brought you some water.¡±

    Daphne slowly turned back towards the cashier, eyeballing the back of Gary¡¯s head as she did. He seemed to not be looking for her¡­for the moment at least.

    The knots were tightening up again in Daphne¡¯s stomach. She took the cup of water from the cashier and took a small sip, hoping it would calm down both her stomach and her nerves.

    ¡°Are you going to be okay?¡± the cashier asked her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay,¡± Daphne confirmed. ¡°Feel free to go back to your post.¡± At the cash register, there were a couple of customers who were beginning to look around for the cashier.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± the cashier said with a grateful smile.

    As she walked away, Daphne took another sip of the water. Well, on the bright side, we were going to break up anyway, so at least I get to know the truth of the matter this time around.

    She took another small drink of water and began her journey across the caf¨¦ towards Gary. I vowed to myself to try to be happy on this second chance I was given. Her footsteps each took her close to her fate, and her journey to happiness.

    She reached the table, and she stood off to the side of him. ¡°Gary,¡± she said, trying to imitate the way he had said her name when he had broken up with her. This time, she did a much better job.

    Gary began to turn to look at her, and Daphne took the water cup in her hand and threw all of the water in it at him. The excess liquid slapped onto the floor, and Gary¡¯s hair was wet and dripping.

    He cleared his lips of the fluid before he cleaned his eyes. Daphne slammed the cup down on the table in front of him.

    ¡°What the fuck, Daph?¡± Gary asked, clearing his eyes enough to look at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± she replied, her voice firm, and still cracking a bit. ¡°You can get money from all of the other women you¡¯re dating. I don¡¯t want any part of this anymore.¡±

    Daphne turned to leave. She heard him say, ¡°The fuck Daphne?¡± again, but she kept walking away.

    She walked up to the cashier, whipping her purse off of her shoulder. ¡°Sorry for the mess,¡± she apologized, pulling a five dollar bill out of her wallet and putting it on the counter in front of the cashier. ¡°Here¡¯s for the trouble,¡± she added.

    The cashier looked as though she was holding back an enormous smile. ¡°That was so bad ass,¡± she murmured softly to Daphne. More loudly, she added, ¡°It¡¯s not a problem, miss. Thanks for the tip.¡±

    Daphne smiled back at her. ¡°My pleasure,¡± she said, turning away from the desk, towards the door to leave. She heard the cashier gasp, and then felt Gary¡¯s hand grip down on her shoulder hard. She grimaced, having to hold back a small yelp.

    ¡°You don¡¯t get to break up with me,¡± Gary said, his voice next to her ear. Shivers ran down Daphne¡¯s spine. ¡°That¡¯s now how it works.¡±

    Daphne began attempting to shrug him off, having to resort to nearly elbowing Gary in the stomach to get him off. ¡°I guess a new chapter of your life gets to begin today,¡± she replied, not looking back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s a new chapter for me today, too.¡±

    She began walking towards the door again. ¡°Sir, sir!¡± The cashier exclaimed at Gary behind her.

    ¡°What?¡± he shouted back. ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy right now?¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± the cashier replied in the perfect customer service voice. ¡°But you can¡¯t leave without paying.¡±

    ¡°Are you fucking kidding me?¡± Gary asked as Daphne opened the caf¨¦¡¯s door to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll literally be right back!¡±

    The door shut behind Daphne. I¡¯ll have to come back in the day sometime and give that cashier a special gift. She¡¯s really taking a bullet for me right now.

    Daphne began briskly walking to her car, only a block away, in hopes of getting out of sight from the caf¨¦ as quickly as possible. She didn¡¯t take the time to look back and see if Gary was following her until her car was in sight. Only then did she look back to ensure he wasn¡¯t behind her. He wasn¡¯t.

    Breathing out a huge sigh of relief, Daphne pulled her phone out of her pocket, and dialed Maggie¡¯s number. Daphne was unlocking her car when Maggie answered.

    ¡°Hello?¡± Maggie said.

    ¡°Maggie,¡± Daphne said as she sat down in the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Would you be available to go out for a drink or two?¡±

    There was a pause. ¡°Let me see if Michael can watch the kids,¡± she answered. The phone¡¯s speaker was filled with sounds of shuffling and then muffled voices. Only a beat or two later, Maggie¡¯s voice came back clear through the speaker. ¡°Where should I meet you?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about coming here,¡± Daphne replied, starting the car¡¯s engine. ¡°I¡¯ll come to you.¡±

 Chapter 18

    Daphne sighed and sat down at the bar next to Holly. After a weekend of looking at jobs and very nearly giving up on one she could just nearly qualify and apply for, she¡¯d gone to work on Monday morning and immediately was reminded why she needed a new job in the first place. Trevor had assigned her even more work, and this time, it was Holly who had offered to give Daphne a hand.

    Thank goodness for Holly, Daphne thought looking over at her with a smile. If it wasn¡¯t for her, I¡¯d probably have been at work until eight this evening.

    ¡°What can I get for you ladies?¡± the bartender asked, coming up to them. He had an enormous fluffy red beard, despite being completely bald.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have a rum and coke,¡± Holly said with a lopsided smile.

    ¡°A sex on the beach for me, please,¡± Daphne said. ¡°If you can make it, that is,¡± she added.

    ¡°Of course I can make it,¡± the bartender replied with a grin. ¡°If you ladies don¡¯t mind, I will need to see your IDs.¡±

    Daphne nodded and pulled her wallet out of her purse and fished her ID out of her wallet. ¡°Fancy drink,¡± Holly commented as she handed her ID to the bartender and he inspected it.

    Daphne handed her own ID to the bartender as well. ¡°I never knew about it until Friday,¡± she said. ¡°I went out for drinks with my sister and she had me try it. Apparently I¡¯ve been missing out.¡±

    Holly chuckled as the bartender handed their IDs back. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back with those drinks,¡± he told the pair.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± both Holly and Daphne said.

    ¡°Have you not tried a lot of drinks?¡± Holly asked, turning back to Daphne.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t,¡± Daphne confirmed. ¡°I didn¡¯t get invited to many parties, or bars once I was legal.¡± Daphne smiled tightly.

    ¡°I can understand that,¡± Holly said, a crooked smile growing on her face.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Daphne asked, knitting her eyebrows together. She wasn¡¯t sure if she should be offended or not.

    ¡°Well, I just think that you¡¯re a bit unapproachable more than anything,¡± Holly said. ¡°Or at least that was the vibe I got.¡± The bartender placed their drinks down in front of them. Daphne took a quick drink through her straw.

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®unapproachable¡¯?¡± Daphne asked. As she finished asking the question, one of the groups that was in one of the corner booths started roaring with laughter. It was enough to make Daphne jump and bang her knee on the bar. ¡°Ow,¡± she glowered.

    Why is it so loud in here for an early Monday evening?

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Holly said, looking a bit sheepish. ¡°Irish bars tend to be noisy, even though there¡¯s not a lot of people.¡± She swirled her drink and looked down into it, grimacing. ¡°But that¡¯s why they¡¯re my favorite.¡±

    Daphne smiled. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she said. ¡°It just surprised me more than anything.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t hate it?¡± Holly asked, looking up at Daphne.

    Daphne felt her stomach flip flop a little. ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother me that much,¡± she said, shifting in her chair. ¡°Though, admittedly, I don¡¯t like sudden loud noises.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad that it doesn¡¯t bother you much,¡± Holly said, a relieved smile on her face. ¡°No one else in my life likes Irish pubs. So, you can be my Irish pub buddy.¡±

    Daphne felt her heart skip a beat as Holly¡¯s braids shifted across her shoulders as she took a sip from her drink. It¡¯s been so long since I made a friend.

    ¡°I¡¯d love that,¡± she murmured, taking another of the fruity drink.

    Holly was still smiling. ¡°To answer your question, though, I always thought you believed you were better than the rest of us when it came to work. You always had so much work that you were doing.¡±

    Daphne swallowed hard. ¡°I really came off that way?¡± she asked.

    Holly shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to try to talk to you for a long time. But you never tried to connect with anyone from work or participate in any of the team get togethers¡­¡± she paused.

    That must have been why she asked to sit together at the team lunch before I came back to the past. I really never did go to any get togethers¡­

    ¡°You always looked like you were drowning and you never asked for help,¡± Holly added, pursing her lips and slightly nodding a little bit before taking a sip of her drink.

    Daphne took a gulp of hers, wishing the alcohol would work its magic just a bit faster. ¡°Yeah,¡± she admitted. ¡°I am pretty bad at asking for help¡­¡±

    ¡°Why did you take on so much work anyway, if you were so overwhelmed?¡± Holly asked, her eyebrows raising as she leaned towards Daphne.

    Daphne felt her own eyes go wide. It was everything she could do not to have her mouth drop open at Holly¡¯s question. ¡°¡­is that what it looked like?¡± Daphne asked.

    Holly squinted her eyes at Daphne. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you taking on extra work¡­was Trevor assigning you excess work like he has been lately?¡± she asked.

    Daphne swallowed hard. Did my coworkers of the past¡­really not know that Trevor was dropping excess work on me? Were they truly not acting maliciously? She did her best to think back. The only coworker that Daphne knew for sure was malicious was Fiona.

    Daphne nodded at Holly. ¡°He¡¯s always given me more work and overloaded me,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t know why.¡±

    Holly shook her head. ¡°And here I was, going to try to comfort you and say that he probably would stop as soon as someone else made a mistake and upset him.¡± She sighed. ¡°Little did I know, you¡¯ve always been a target¡­¡±

    Daphne felt her heart squeeze, her stomach twisting a bit. ¡°You¡­you believe me?¡± she asked.

    Holly blinked rapidly. ¡°Why would you lie about something like that?¡± she asked. ¡°Plus the entire time you¡¯ve worked there, you¡¯ve been extremely overworked. I just wrongly assumed that you had been kissing Trevor¡¯s ass this whole time.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s eyes burned a little, and she chewed on her lower lip, staring into her drink. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said.

    ¡°I¡¯m at least glad you¡¯re asking for help now,¡± Holly said with a small smile while swirling her drink in the glass.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Daphne nodded. ¡°Me, too. It was only recently that I found myself even able to ask for help.¡±

    Because I know I¡¯ll die if I don¡¯t change, Daphne silently added.

    ¡°You weren¡¯t able to ask for help?¡± Holly asked, raising her eyebrows before taking another drink.

    ¡°I guess I should probably clarify,¡± Daphne replied, rubbing her neck. ¡°I was under the impression that everyone felt the same way about me that Trevor and Fiona did. So, I wasn¡¯t sure if I could ask for help.¡±

    Holly¡¯s upper lip pulled back at the mention of Fiona. ¡°Ugh,¡± she said. ¡°Fiona.¡±

    ¡°Do you also not like her?¡± Daphne probed.

    Holly chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone in the likes Fiona except for Trevor,¡± she said. ¡°Honestly, that would have been a safer assumption.¡±

    Daphne grimaced. ¡°Because of their relationship?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Of course!¡± Holly exclaimed, hitting the bar with her fist. Her lips were pulled back, bearing her teeth. ¡°He gives her less work than anyone else in the office! She gets extra perks and benefits for no reason at all!¡± She let out an exasperated breath. ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous that someone so incompetent is our manager in the first place. But to have him be so useless and sleeping with one of the employees?¡± Holly practically growled. ¡°What is the world coming to?¡± she shouted, before taking the last swig of her drink.

    Daphne chewed on her lip. ¡°I honestly didn¡¯t even realize what was going on until last week,¡± she said.

    ¡°What!¡± Holly exclaimed. ¡°You didn¡¯t know? How is that even possible?¡±

    Daphne pursed her lips and nodded slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to explain it except to say that I had my head buried really deep into the sand.¡± She swirled her drink and then took a sip.

    ¡°Buried deep in the sand?¡± Holly asked, concerned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I was using work to escape my life,¡± Daphne said. ¡°That¡¯s part of why I was looking to get some work life balance.¡± She took a gulp of her drink, starting to feel a bit of a buzz. The tension in her shoulders was starting to loosen.

    ¡°How come?¡± Holly asked. ¡°Was there something wrong with your personal life?¡±

    Daphne chewed on her lip, flashes of her mother¡¯s face floating through her mind. ¡°I mean¡­no,¡± she said.

    Holly narrowed her eyes. ¡°Fine, if you don¡¯t want to talk about it, we won¡¯t,¡± she said with a sharp nod.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Daphne murmured, grateful for Holly deciding to not press further.

    ¡°But did Trevor overworking you cause strife in your life?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that¡­¡± Daphne said, hesitating now that things had changed with Gary. ¡°Kinda? My boyfriend and I broke up on Friday. I thought that he needed to spend more time with me, but it turns out he had been cheating on me all along.¡± She nodded several times and then turned to at Holly. She looked horrified, and Daphne could feel her eyes stinging again at the thought of what Gary had done to her.

    ¡°Why did you even come to work today?¡± Holly asked. She looked serious, and her braids shook everywhere. Daphne had to hold back a laugh.

    I don¡¯t know the last time someone who wasn¡¯t related to me was angry on my behalf.

    ¡°I have responsibilities to our team, to Landon, to all of the stakeholders whose projects I¡¯m working on.¡±

    Holly looked incredulous at Daphne¡¯s words.

    ¡°Another one miss?¡± the bartender asked Holly.

    ¡°Yes, please!¡± She told the bartender. ¡°I¡¯m going to need another one to understand her logic.¡± She gestured over to Daphne. Daphne felt her face heating, and the bartender laughed.

    ¡°Have you considered that you also have a responsibility to yourself?¡± Holly asked as the bartender walked away.

    Daphne nodded. ¡°I have,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to not let the breakup get to me too much.¡± She nodded and took another sip of her drink.

    Holly shook her head slightly, tilting it to the right and squinting her eyes at Daphne. ¡°That¡¯s what you think your responsibility to yourself is?¡± Holly asked.

    It was Daphne¡¯s turn to narrow her eyes. ¡°Is it not?¡± she asked.

    Holly turned and looked at her fresh drink and breathed out heavily. ¡°Whew,¡± she said. ¡°Who the fuck messed your head up so much?¡±

    Daphne felt her eyes go wide and her chest tightened despite the alcohol. Did I just mess up?

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Daphne asked.

    ¡°I mean taking care of yourself, crying, not burning yourself out, brushing your teeth, getting some rest¡­?¡± Holly said. ¡°That kind of responsibility to yourself¡­ Taking care of yourself so that you can hold up your responsibilities to the rest of us over time. It would be like coming to work while you¡¯re vomiting.¡± Holly shook her head at Daphne. ¡°No one would expect you to work well when you can¡¯t hold any food down. We¡¯d want you to get better before you come take back everything we covered for you.¡± Holly gave Daphne a brief side eye. ¡°And don¡¯t you ever dare come to work when you¡¯re vomiting.¡±

    Daphne let out a small giggle. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± she promised. ¡°Am I allowed to rely on you all like that, though?¡± she asked. ¡°I was always taught otherwise.¡±

    Holly rolled her eyes, shaking her braids at Daphne. ¡°You should be the highest priority in your own life. Everything else should be second place or lower. Whoever told you otherwise is an asshole,¡± she said, crossing her arms.

    Daphne felt her face heating again, and did her best to cover it with her thick hair as she took another big pull from her drink, nearing the bottom.

    At least I didn¡¯t mess up the relationship like I thought I did. She chewed on her lip. Admittedly, it feels pretty good to have someone angry for my sake.

    Swallowing a giddy smile, Daphne looked up at Holly¡¯s grumpy face. ¡°I guess I never thought of it that way,¡± she said.

    ¡°I hope whoever taught you that isn¡¯t in you life anymore,¡± Holly said with a small pout. ¡°If they are, drop them on their ass ASAP.¡±

    Daphne chuckled a little, swirling the little bit of her drink that was left. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re not,¡± she said.

    ¡°Good,¡± Holly replied. She took another big gulp of her drink. ¡°On another note, at least it seems pretty likely you won¡¯t have to look too far for new potential partners,¡± Holly said, a smirk creeping onto her face.

    Daphne shook her head, her heart sinking a little at Holly¡¯s words. ¡°I appreciate that,¡± she said. ¡°But I don¡¯t think most people would want to date me after getting to know me a little.¡±

    Holly scoffed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Are you terminally ill or something?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Daphne replied.

    ¡°Physically incapable of bearing a child?¡± Holly asked, raising her eyebrows.

    Daphne¡¯s face flushed. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know,¡± she said. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that anyway?¡±

    Holly shrugged. ¡°Nothing, obviously, but that¡¯s kinda the point¡­¡± her voice drifted off.

    Daphne shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing like that.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s terminal uniqueness disorder?¡± Holly asked.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Daphne asked, cocking her head.

    ¡°Whatever it is, it doesn¡¯t make you undatable,¡± Holly said. ¡°The only thing that makes people unattractive is when they don¡¯t care for themselves. Otherwise, everyone¡¯s taste is different. And there is at least one man at work whose taste is Daphne Woods, without a doubt.¡± She winked and took a swig of her drink.

    Daphne gulped. ¡°Who is that?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Landon, obviously,¡± Holly said, rolling her eyes. ¡°Anyone with eyes can see he¡¯s really into you.¡±

    Daphne shook her head. ¡°He has a girlfriend, Holly,¡± she said. Daphne wrinkled her nose. ¡°And he¡¯s a bit young for my taste.¡±

    Holly stuck her tongue out at Daphne. ¡°Fat chance that relationship is going to last much longer. With a girlfriend like that, he probably won¡¯t have one for much longer.¡±

    Daphne scrunched her face up, and then took a quick drink, finishing off the alcohol. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get involved in that relationship at all,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s also not really my type.¡±

    ¡°Is there anyone at the office who is your type?¡± Holly asked, squiggling her eyebrows at Daphne.

    She scraped her upper lip with her teeth and nodded. ¡°Asher is,¡± she said.

    Holly made a look at Daphne, that implied she should pursue him. Daphne replied by looking grumpy back. ¡°What about you, Holly?¡± Daphne asked, squinting her eyes. ¡°How long have you been with your husband?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been happily married for five years,¡± Holly said, a cute smile growing on her face.

    Daphne couldn¡¯t help but let out a groan. ¡°Everyone around me has found happiness,¡± she grumbled.

    Holly let out a single laugh. ¡°I wish it was that easy,¡± she said. ¡°But I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find your way to happiness.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Daphne said, staring at the ice melting in the glass. Inside, her stomach was swirling with the possibility that she could die unhappy¡­again.

    ¡°Are you free next weekend?¡± Holly asked, taking the final swig of her rum and coke.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Daphne answered.

    ¡°Do you want to go out and go shopping with me?¡± Holly asked, raising her eyebrows.

    Daphne felt her eyes widen. ¡°I¡¯d love to,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve honestly never been out shopping with a friend before,¡± she said.

    ¡°Ugh,¡± Holly responded, pressing her fingers to her temple. ¡°The more I get to know you, the more obvious it is that you¡¯ve never lived,¡± she said.

    Daphne swallowed hard, her stomach beginning to knot up. ¡°Sorry, I won¡¯t know the proper protocols for things or anything.¡±

    ¡°Stop,¡± Holly said, putting her hand up in Daphne¡¯s face. ¡°I wasn¡¯t complaining about that. If you¡¯ve never gone before, you have even more reason to go.¡±

    ¡°That sounds great, then,¡± Daphne said, a small smile lighting up her face.

    ¡°Fantastic,¡± Holly replied, smiling back.

    Daphne¡¯s heart was still aching a little from all that had happened since her return to the past. It feels like no matter what I¡¯ve done, nothing has gotten better. But maybe¡­just maybe¡­things will start looking up soon.

 Chapter 19

    Daphne chewed on her lip as she hit submit. She glanced at the clock. It was already a quarter after five. Shit, she thought. I¡¯m late.

    She locked her computer and pulled the laptop off of the docking station at her cubicle. She quickly shuffled her feet towards the conference room that Asher had asked her to meet him in. He was already waiting for her and seemed to be fiddling on his phone. Daphne¡¯s mind was filled with memories of Gary, and how much time he had spent texting other women on his phone.

    I wonder if Asher has a partner. If he does, I hope they treat him well. They would be crazy not to.

    She slipped into the conference room. ¡°Sorry,¡± she said. ¡°It took me longer to get things done than I thought it would.¡± She swallowed hard, her chest feeling tight.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem,¡± Asher replied looking from his phone with a smile. Daphne watched as he carefully slid his phone into his pocket, as she smiled back.

    ¡°Even with Landon, Holly, and even you helping me, I¡¯m still overloaded,¡± she said with a sigh as she pulled out the chair next to him. ¡°I really didn¡¯t realize how bad it was until last week.¡±

    Asher made a pursed lips smile, and looked a little sad. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not sure why Trevor dislikes you so much.¡± He opened his laptop and began typing in his credentials. ¡°On an unrelated note,¡± he said. ¡°I figured it might be nice to have one another¡¯s phone numbers just in case something comes up with this project. It seems like there might be quite a bit of driving around the state for the work.¡±

    Daphne felt her eyes widen. ¡°Are you serious?¡± she asked.

    Of course Trevor would try to assign me a project that would eat into my productivity hours, she thought. That man is more of a prick than I thought he was before I came back to the past.

    ¡°Completely,¡± Asher said with a nod. ¡°And it seems as though this project is going to take a considerable amount of time to completion.¡±

    Daphne put her hand on her face and groaned. ¡°What are we going to do then?¡± she asked. ¡°What changed that made you think it¡¯s so much more work than the last time we talked?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve had a few more meetings than last time,¡± he replied. ¡°So now I¡¯m better able to scope the work. I¡¯ve already talked about offloading some of the work I currently have in flight to Holly,¡± Asher said, nodding. ¡°And as I know you¡¯re buckled down under more projects than I am, I¡¯m happy to do the lion¡¯s share of the traveling for this work. But if something comes up and I need your help putting something together or grabbing something and sending it to me, I would like to be able to notify you quickly, which is why I think it would be good to exchange numbers.¡±

    Daphne felt her heart skip a little beat as he asked for her number again. She¡¯d only just exchanged phone numbers with one of her co-workers for the first time only a day before. Holly had been the first person at work to ever ask for her number. Now she was being asked to share it again, and with Asher, no less.

    ¡°That sounds like a good plan,¡± she replied, attempting to ignore her emotions. She pulled out her phone, trying to steady her hands, but they were still shaking as she exchanged phones with Asher.

    ¡°You nervous your boyfriend will think you¡¯re cheating?¡± Asher asked as he began typing his name into her phone.

    Daphne swallowed hard and looked down at Asher¡¯s phone in her hands. It was simple and clean looking, and in dark mode. She smiled a little, realizing that his phone reflected his appearance.

    ¡°No,¡± she replied, starting to type her own information into his phone. ¡°We broke up.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Asher said, sliding her phone on the table back to her. ¡°Sorry I brought it up.¡±

    Daphne bit her bottom lip, finishing typing in her number, and handing his phone back to him. She met his brown eyes and noticed that a dark strand of his bangs had come untucked and was hanging down on his forehead.

    A fresh rush of adrenaline shot through her, and she quickly averted her eyes, feeling her face flush. ¡°It¡¯s no problem,¡± she replied, doing everything she could to keep her voice steady.

    Asher cleared his throat. ¡°So I already met with some of the main people who are going to be involved with the project, as I said¡­but outside of the traveling piece of the work, I¡¯d like to walk you through what I know so far. How does that sound?¡± he asked navigating on his laptop. Daphne looked over and saw that the tips of his ears had turned a bit red, as he was opening the document he had taken his notes in.

    ¡°That sounds good,¡± Daphne replied, holding tightly onto the table in front of her.

    ¡°Great,¡± Asher replied with a nod. ¡°So because there are some big names in the organization endorsing this project, it¡¯s considered a really high priority, and the timeline is expected to be quite rigorous across the months that the work is being done in. A lot of the groundwork has been completed already, so really, our role as project managers is going to be focused on keeping the work as on time as possible. As I said before, the team is hoping that we can help to organize the many documents they have, synthesize some of the work into some slide shows, and help design the change management plan.¡± He paused and pulled up some screenshots on his laptop. ¡°If you look here, you¡¯ll see that the work really focuses on transforming how the company will manage and allot funding for internal projects.¡±

    Daphne craned her neck to see the tiny text on Asher¡¯s computer. She could barely make out the tiny words. ¡°That sounds like a big lift,¡± she said.

    Asher nodded. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for all of the important people behind it, it would be a enormous project.¡±

    ¡°So why does this require you to go all over the state?¡± she asked, sitting back in her chair, as he seemed to be looking for a slide deck presentation.

    ¡°While a lot of the ground work has been done, one thing the team wants to capture is how work is currently being done by the workers requesting capital. They are hoping to design the new process with the users in mind¡­¡± Asher chuckled a little, a cynical smile on his face. ¡°But we¡¯ll see how that goes.¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Daphne nodded as he pulled open a presentation similar to the one that she had helped make the week prior.

    ¡°This is the one I really wanted you to see,¡± he said.

    Daphne leaned forward again, nearly having her head on top of his shoulder. Her heart started rumbling through her chest again, and she caught a whiff of a warm, clean scent. She could hear him talking in the corporate jargon language that she could normally understand, but in the moment it sounded like gibberish. Rather than digesting the words she could barely see, her focus was much more on making sure her body did not touch his in any way.

    Her breathing felt shallow, and she was hyperaware of it. Even Asher¡¯s soft breaths were audible.

    ¡°¡­what do you think?¡± Asher asked. ¡°Do you think the timeline is too aggressive for all of the other work you¡¯re doing?¡± He turned his head to look at her, and their eyes met again.

    Silence filled the room, and Daphne felt bewitched by his gaze. Neither of them broke the contact for a few beats, and Daphne swallowed hard, and managed to pull her eyes away. She felt her face filling up with blood once more.

    What was that? Nothing like that has ever happened to me before.

    She gently put her hand over her heart which she could feel beating quickly underneath her rib cage.

    ¡°Ah, sorry about that,¡± she heard Asher¡¯s voice say. ¡°I should have plugged into the projector. I didn¡¯t even think about it before you got here.¡±

    Chewing on her lower lip, she looked over at him. It sounded as though the words had been tumbling out of his mouth, and she saw him looking down at his own hands. His ear tips were even darker than they had been previously.

    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± Daphne said, her voice trembling a little. ¡°You just surprised me when you¡­turned.¡±

    ¡°Right, yeah, I¡­¡± He just shook his head. ¡°Let me get this plugged in so you can actually see,¡± he said, jumping up, his hands scrambling all over the pile of cords in the center of the table, looking for the one that plugged into the large screen on the wall.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Daphne said, her heart finally starting to slow.

    I knew I was attracted to him¡­ She covertly watched his rush to plug his laptop in. But what the hell was that? She chewed on the inside of her cheek. It hasn¡¯t even been a week since Gary and I broke up¡­and that was the second break up I¡¯ve been through in less than two weeks¡­ She closed her eyes, trying to clear the sensation of how close they had been out of her mind. There is absolutely no way that I¡¯m ready for a new relationship. I tried so hard to keep Gary, only to have him cheating on me all along. Plus¡­dating at the office? That could make things really complicated.

    ¡°You alright?¡± Asher asked. ¡°I must have really surprised you,¡± he added.

    Daphne opened her eyes and met his, as he sat down in the seat next to her again. As he did so, his hand grabbed the chair arm of his seat, and gently brushed hers. She yanked her hand back, feeling as though she had just received a jolt of static electricity.

    He looked surprised at her reaction, and she turned away from him. ¡°Yep, I¡¯m fine,¡± she muttered.

    Her heart started up all over again. God I hope he can¡¯t hear it. The blood rushing through her seemed as loud as the silence of the room.

    ¡°Is the projected version better?¡± Asher asked. Daphne knew she couldn¡¯t hide her face any longer, even if she wished she could.

    She looked over at the screen, doing her best not to look at Asher, and ignoring the burning sensation across her face. ¡°It¡¯s much better,¡± she answered, trying to focus on reading the words on the screen.

    He started talking again, and Daphne found herself sneaking glances at him. Am I the only one who is attracted? Surely the tension in the air wouldn¡¯t be this this thick if I was¡­right?

    Undeath the table, she pinched her thigh and winced. Stop it. I have to get over Gary before I can even consider a new relationship. Even more important than that, I have to figure out who murdered me before it happens again. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m swimming in extra time to spend building a new relationship.

    Attempting to be subtle, Daphne attempted to widen the gap between them. Much to her chagrin, Asher looked up at her as she was scooting, and smiled awkwardly.

    Shit. The floor can swallow me up any time. All I¡¯ve done is make things worse.

    She tightly smiled back at him.

    ¡°So, what do you think?¡± he asked. ¡°Does that all make sense?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she answered with a nod. ¡°Is there anything specific you or the team would like me to do?¡± she asked. ¡°Since we are tag teaming this project and everything.¡±

    Asher nodded, his smile loosening. ¡°The team is having weekly meetings on Thursday at eight thirty in the morning, so if you have that time available, or could make that time available, it would be ideal to have you at those.¡±

    Daphne nodded and opened her laptop. ¡°I think that time is typically free, but let me double check.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Asher replied. ¡°Additionally, the team was really impressed with the presentation you put together for them last week, and they are hoping that you will be able to continue putting the presentations together for the course of the project.¡±

    Something that had been feeling tight in Daphne released. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± she asked. She looked over at him, and he was nodding.

    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± he confirmed.

    ¡°Are you really going to be alright with me taking on this little of the project?¡± Daphne asked, raising her eyebrows. She turned to look at her computer to look at her calendar.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Asher replied. ¡°This is an enormous ask of the PM team, and Trevor should have tried not to slap it on the busiest person on the team. The president of the company is involved so it needs to be done right, and it needs to be done well.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s eyebrows somehow raised higher and she looked over back at Asher. ¡°The president of the company?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Asher answered. ¡°And I¡¯m not trying to say you¡¯re incapable of the work either.¡±

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re saying,¡± Daphne said, crossing her arms, feeling a flash of heat run through her. ¡°You¡¯re saying that Trevor was trying to sabotage me.¡±

    ¡°Essentially, yes,¡± Asher said with a nod. ¡°He was at least attempting to set you up for failure¡­which only a complete knucklehead like him would do. Without this you, this team could probably only manage seventy-five percent of the work we are doing. Trying to get your best employee booted seems like the fast track to losing your own job.¡±

    Daphne pursed her lips. ¡°Do you really think I do twenty-five percent of the work?¡± She asked, turning back to her laptop. ¡°And for sure, Thursdays at eight thirty will work for me,¡± she said.

    ¡°Great,¡± Asher replied. ¡°I¡¯ll forward you the meeting invite.¡± He paused. ¡°And yes, I do think you¡¯re doing that much work. I think you¡¯re a very fast worker, and also really great at the work you do. You¡¯re very efficient with your time, which is why Trevor is an idiot.¡±

    Daphne let out a small laugh. Her chest felt warm and tingly as she smiled widely. ¡°Thank you for saying that,¡± she said.

    Does he really think that about me? I didn¡¯t realize that I was being paid attention to at work¡­even Holly was paying attention to me and I had no clue¡­

    ¡°Honestly¡­¡± She swallowed hard. ¡°I really appreciate you saying that a lot,¡± she added. ¡°I¡¯ve been considering trying to find a new job, and I have been struggling with thinking that I won¡¯t be able to find something because I¡¯m incompetent.¡±

    Asher nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t blame you for looking,¡± he said. ¡°You should have more confidence in your skills for sure. If you really do struggle to find something, though, feel free to let me know. I know a guy who might be able to use a project manager.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Daphne said with a small smile and a nod. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± The warmth she had already been feeling in her heart grew some more.

    I don¡¯t know why I never tried to connect with my co-workers. I wish I had realized what great people I had around me sooner.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Asher said. ¡°Let me give you a run down on the next slide show the team will need,¡± he said with a smile.

    ¡°Sounds great,¡± Daphne replied, her smile widening at him.

    I really have missed out on a lot of life. She turned back to the large screen. I have been foolish this whole time.

 Chapter 20

    Thursday, was a dreary October evening. Daphne sat in a small caf¨¦ near her sister¡¯s home, staring out the window. Her hot tea steamed up the glass, as rain gently tapped on the pane in front of her.

    It¡¯s already been nearly two weeks since I somehow returned to the past. So much and so little has changed at the same time.

    The leaves were beginning to yellow, some of them showing bits of vibrant red coming in, too.

    It¡¯s been nearly two weeks and I still have no new clues about who murdered me. Daphne chewed on her lip. All I¡¯ve been doing is going to work, and going home. The only person who¡¯s stood out is Fiona. But I have no idea why she would want me dead.

    She shook her head, ice gripping tightly around her guts. Her breath felt constricted. What if really was a random event after all? Will I be destined to die, even if I¡¯m not there at that specific moment?

    She gently chewed on her tongue. But by that logic, wouldn¡¯t I have died after the break up with Gary? Or will I be involved in another breakup in only a couple short months? She narrowed her eyes thinking through other possibilities. Maybe I really was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

    She nodded, attempting to convince herself that it was most likely the case, but the woman¡¯s smile lingered in the back of her mind, the ice further vice gripping around her insides.

    It¡¯s probably not someone wanting to kill me specifically. I¡¯ve worked so hard to make sure everyone likes me. It must have been some kind of mistake.

    Daphne swirled her spoon in the teacup. Her heart still unconvinced by her thoughts. If it¡¯s anything I do know, though, it¡¯s that I can¡¯t go back to living my life the way I did. I don¡¯t ever want to feel like how I felt in the snow¡­

    Her chest squeezed as she was reminded of her final moments. Thankfully, she was pulled from her thoughts as the chair in front of her scraped across the floor, screeching loudly, and Maggie sat down.

    Daphne couldn¡¯t help but smile. As frustrating of a situation I am in, I really ought to count my blessings. I at least have this opportunity to try to live a better life.

    ¡°Thank you so much for being willing to come out here again, and on such short notice,¡± Maggie said, scratching the back of her neck.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°You were able to get Michael to watch the kids when I needed you last week, so I¡¯m happy to come out for you.¡± Daphne took a drink of her tea.

    Maggie smiled, looking sheepish. ¡°I just don¡¯t have a lot of people in my life who understand what we¡¯ve gone through¡­and what I continue to go through, just because I have a relationship with Mom.¡±

    Daphne swallowed hard, still holding the warm teacup in her hand. ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked. ¡°Do you want to talk about Mom?¡± she asked, her throat tightening.

    Maggie sighed and ran her hand through her short hair. ¡°Yes,¡± she replied. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to listen.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart sank in her chest. ¡°Oh,¡± she replied simply, chewing on her tongue.

    Maggie let out a heavy breath. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, I don¡¯t have a whole lot of time before I have to run back to Michael and the kids. To put it simply, whenever I talk about Mother to anyone outside of our family, people don¡¯t believe my stories. I know you don¡¯t want to hear about her, or really have anything to do with her. I just don¡¯t know who else to turn to.¡±

    Daphne took a deep, shaky breath. ¡°What about any of our other siblings?¡± she asked, trying to come up with someone else Maggie could talk to.

    Maggie shook her head. ¡°You know what they¡¯re like,¡± she said. ¡°Nothing ever changes in Mom¡¯s world, and as a result, no one in our family tries to change either.¡±

    ¡°Cy is still team Mom?¡± Daphne asked, raising her eyebrows.

    ¡°More than ever before,¡± Maggie replied with a grimace. ¡°If I were to say even the smallest insult towards Mom to him, she would know within five minutes of me doing so.¡±

    ¡°And Ollie?¡± Daphne asked, taking another sip of her tea.

    Maggie shook her head. ¡°Oliver is still the same. He will do anything to keep the peace with Mom. Whenever I¡¯ve tried to talk to him about Mom, he just shuts me down almost immediately.¡±

    ¡°Viola¡¯s probably too young, too,¡± Daphne replied, nodding and sighing.

    ¡°And she still lives with Mom. She¡¯s already dealing with adult issues when she shouldn¡¯t have to.¡± Maggie let out a heavy breath. ¡°And it¡¯s about Mom and Viola, so it¡¯s not like I can talk to Viola about her own issues.¡±

    Daphne felt her stomach flip flop. ¡°It¡¯s also about Viola?¡± she asked. Her heart ached for her littlest sister, who still was suffering under their mother¡¯s tyrannical rule.

    Maggie nodded. ¡°So, I don¡¯t really have anyone else to turn to,¡± she said. ¡°So, please, Daph¡­would you be willing to listen? Just this once?¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Daphne let out a small sigh, knowing that her surrender was inevitable. I have too soft of a spot in my heart for Viola.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Daphne said. ¡°But just this once, and only because it¡¯s about Viola.¡±

    Maggie looked relieved. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. ¡°Honestly I would also appreciate it you would keep trying to think of solutions that I could potentially try to get out of this¡­sticky situation I¡¯m in with Mom.¡±

    Daphne nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it in mind at least to the best of my ability,¡± she said.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Maggie said, looking relieved again.

    ¡°So what¡¯s going on then?¡± Daphne asked.

    ¡°My eldest is in grade school now,¡± Maggie said. ¡°So starting this past fall, Mom has been asking me to pick Viola up from school.¡±

    Daphne grimaced. ¡°Seriously?¡± she asked.

    Maggie let out a short, heavy sigh. ¡°Yes,¡± she answered. ¡°You, out of all of us, really should know that Mom is never going to change. That¡¯s why you walked away, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I know, but she absolutely adored and babied Viola when she was young. And now that she is in high school, Mom is foisting the responsibility on to someone else again.¡± Daphne sighed and shook her head.

    Though I loved the moments when my dad would come and pick us all up from school¡­  I could tell that he was frustrated with the situation.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Maggie replied with a chuckle.

    ¡°Is she even using the same excuse that she did back then?¡± Daphne asked.

    ¡°Her garden?¡± Maggie asked. She started nodding. ¡°Yes, would you expect anything less of Mom?¡±

    Daphne pinched her forehead. ¡°I thought living with Mom would be easier for Viola,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll never forget the moment she came home from the hospital with her. It was like none of the rest of her children even existed.¡±

    ¡°Well, its not only the same, but in some ways, it¡¯s actually worse,¡± Maggie said, shaking her head. ¡°Viola asked if she could put me down as her guardian and I said sure. The school was having a terrible time trying to get a hold of Mom, you know how she is, so I said sure. The school called me about two months ago and told me they had concerns Viola was expressing classic signs of depression.¡±

    Daphne felt her eyes go wide. Her stomach tightened. Just a couple of weeks ago¡­when Gary broke up with me right before Christmas, I went to the riverbank and was feeling bad about myself in comparison to my family. I even compared myself to a sixteen-year-old and felt bad for myself. She squeezed her eyes shut.

    ¡°Do you think the school said anything to Mom?¡± Daphne asked, returning her gaze to Maggie.

    Maggie shrugged. ¡°I have no clue,¡± she admitted. ¡°It wasn¡¯t long after school started that they called me and said it. So, I think she probably only would know if they tried to tell her this past spring.¡±

    Daphne nodded. ¡°Good. I know Mom probably wouldn¡¯t believe it, but Viola does not need Mom mocking her if she really is depressed.¡±

    Maggie nodded in agreement. ¡°So, you know how sensitive this is. Well, I¡¯ve started taking Viola to therapy because I didn¡¯t know what else to do.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Maggie¡­¡± she said, pinching her nose. ¡°Mom will kill you if she finds out.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± she replied, nodding rapidly. ¡°But what else am I supposed to do? Just let Viola suffer? After all we¡¯ve gone through with Mom, I know that was the one thing I couldn¡¯t do.¡±

    Daphne closed her eyes, conjuring up Viola¡¯s cute, girly smile in her mind. Even I know I wouldn¡¯t be able to resist trying to put that smile back on her face.

    ¡°So how are you hiding it then?¡± Daphne asked.

    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not,¡± Maggie replied.

    Daphne took a breath sharply. ¡°That¡¯s so risky,¡± she murmured.

    Maggie pursued her lips. ¡°I know it is. Mom has started complaining that Viola is getting home late only on Thursdays, and I can tell she¡¯s starting to become suspicious of me. But it gets worse, Daphne.¡± Maggie closed her eyes clearly upset by the situation.

    ¡°How can it get worse?¡± Daphne groaned. Her mind was starting to go a million miles a minute with all possible things that could actually be worse.

    ¡°Mom basically ignores Viola whenever they are home together, and Viola basically is making her own food. Mom is almost always in the garden.¡±

    Daphne groaned, turning away from Maggie. ¡°You¡¯re lying to me, right?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Maggie replied firmly.

    ¡°Stop,¡± Daphne replied, looking back. ¡°It¡¯s not like when we were kids and Mom needed to spend all of her free time in the garden. She¡¯s won so many gardening awards at this point that she could live comfortably for several lifetimes.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Maggie replied, taking a sip of her drink. ¡°You and I both know that. But if you believe it, it somehow is still worse than when we were kids. Mom also has a strange man coming to the house. Viola has even told me that it seems like Mom might be dating him.¡±

    Daphne just stared at her sister. Her heart ached for her father. Though he was no longer of the world, he had loved their mother so dearly, and had bent over backwards to make sure their mother was happy.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s barely been two years,¡± Daphne murmured softly. She felt like each breath didn¡¯t hold enough air. ¡°How can she already have possibly moved on? She was dad¡¯s whole world.¡±

    ¡°But you and I both know she didn¡¯t feel the same,¡± Maggie said, shaking her head and grimacing. ¡°Anyway, as you might guess, Viola is also feeling the same way you are.¡±

    Daphne bit her lip. It¡¯s one thing to lose my father at twenty-four years old, but it¡¯s probably a whole other thing to lose a father at fourteen years old.

    ¡°Is Viola¡¯s therapy at least helping her?¡± Daphne asked.

    Please let there be a silver lining to this story.

    Maggie nodded. ¡°The psychologist has told me that it¡¯s fairly significant improvement, too. I just need to come up with a way to make sure she can keep going.¡±

    Daphne nodded, tapping her finger on her chin. ¡°What if you tell Mom, you have been taking her to tutoring lessons?¡±

    ¡°Do you think Mom would buy that?¡± Maggie asked, her tone excited as she grabbed Daphne¡¯s free hand.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t talked to mom in two years, so I¡¯m not really sure,¡± Daphne admitted. ¡°But it would at least be difficult for her to figure out you were lying.¡±

    Maggie nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll try it,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m going to do everything I can to keep Viola getting treatment.¡± She smiled. She looked at her phone, checking the time. ¡°Shit,¡± she said, standing quickly, the chair teetering behind her, threatening to fall. ¡°I need to go.¡±

    Daphne chuckled. ¡°Alright. Happy to have helped. But next time, no mom. You know I don¡¯t want anything to do with her.

    ¡°Next time, no mom,¡± Maggie promised, sticking her pinky out for a pinky swear. Daphne interlocked her pinky through Maggie¡¯s. ¡°Thank you for your help. Love you.¡±

    ¡°Love you, too,¡± Daphne replied.

    Her sister turned and walked towards the cash register. Daphne¡¯s eyes were drawn to a Halloween display that was off in the corner of the caf¨¦.

    ¡°I forgot,¡± her sister said, coming back to the table. ¡°I just wanted to let you know that Mom asks about you frequently. I know that we¡¯re talking now more than we used to, but I don¡¯t update Mom about you at all.¡± Maggie nodded assuredly. ¡°And I¡¯m going to keep it that way.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Daphne replied with a smile.

    ¡°See you soon, then,¡± Maggie said with a little wave.

    ¡°See you,¡± Daphne replied.

    As Maggie walked away for the second time, Daphne¡¯s eyes found the pumpkin decorations again.

    ¡°God, I hate this time of year,¡± she muttered to herself.

 Chapter 21

    This is the one, ten-year-old Daphne thought, thumping on a large, bright orange pumpkin.

    ¡°Did you find one you like, kiddo?¡± Daphne¡¯s father asked, coming up behind her and gently placing his hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°This is it,¡± she replied, smiling brightly at him.

    ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful one,¡± her dad replied, smiling back warmly at her. ¡°Do you think that Mom should grow some pumpkins in the backyard for us next year?¡±

    Daphne¡¯s grin widened. ¡°Will they be as big as these?¡± she asked, attempting to pick up her chosen one herself, only to barely be able to lift it off the ground.

    Her father laughed a little. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, we¡¯ll have to see what she can do.¡±

    ¡°I want her to grow ones as enormous as this,¡± Daphne replied, pouting.

    ¡°If it was simple to grow ones this big, we wouldn¡¯t need to come to the pumpkin patch, would we?¡± her father asked, tapping her on the chin. She laughed a little as he pulled out clippers from his pocket, and cut the pumpkin from the vine.

    ¡°It¡¯s more fun to come anyway,¡± Daphne replied, staring up at the tree that hungover them as it was rustled by the wind, letting down a few yellow leaves.

    ¡°It is a lot of fun to come, isn¡¯t it?¡± he asked, hoisting her pumpkin up with relative ease. ¡°Plus, we¡¯ve been coming here every year since before you were born!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°It¡¯s practically a tradition at this point!¡±

    He walked with Daphne up to the couple of pumpkins that Cy and Maggie had already picked out and set hers down next to theirs. ¡°Will Viola get a pumpkin this year?¡± Daphne asked, plopping down on the cool grass next to her pumpkin. She dangled her arm down onto it, and it made the dull thud sound she loved so much again.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± her dad replied, tapping his finger on his chin. ¡°We¡¯ll have to see what Mom says.¡±

    ¡°She should have the tiniest one in the patch!¡± Daphne exclaimed brightly.

    Her father smiled back at her. ¡°That would be super cute, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It would,¡± she confirmed.

    ¡°Well, kiddo, I¡¯ll be right back. I need to check on Ollie and your mom. Can you keep the pumpkins watched over?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°You know you can count on me, Dad.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so dependable,¡± he replied with a chuckle. ¡°Be right back!¡± He strode away from her. Cy and Maggie were nowhere to be found.

    Where did they go? Daphne wondered, looking around at the small clearing. Other families were picking out pumpkins and making small piles of their own.

    Daphne took a deep breath of the chilly air. This is the best season. Halloween is my favorite holiday. She was really looking forward to getting to dress up as a pilot. She tried to pick out something that she could use stuff they already had at home, and her father¡¯s love of planes made it an easy choice.

    Someday I¡¯ll have my own money. And then I¡¯ll buy the coolest astronaut costume <u>ever</u>.

    The wind rustled her floofy hair, the cool breeze rattling the leaves across the ground. ¡°The haunted house looks so cool,¡± Daphne heard her brother Cy say. ¡°I wonder if they¡¯ll let us go in it.¡±

    ¡°Tch,¡± she heard Maggie say. ¡°So, we can all watch you run away in fear?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I won¡¯t run!¡± Cy shouted. Daphne turned to see Cy push Maggie who only scowled back at her brother.

    ¡°That¡¯s what you always say, Cy,¡± she said. ¡°And then you scream like a baby.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t scream like a baby!¡± Cy shouted back.

    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re screaming like a baby now,¡± twelve-year-old Maggie replied, sticking her tongue out.

    ¡°Guys!¡± Daphne¡¯s father¡¯s voice said. ¡°Rather than fighting, why don¡¯t you start schlepping pumpkins to the car?¡± He placed another down next to Daphne¡¯s feet and offered the keys to Cy. Oliver giggled behind her father.

    ¡°Daphne, yours is enormous!¡± Oliver exclaimed.

    ¡°I looked for the biggest and roundest one,¡± Daphne replied, puffing her chest out.

    ¡°Move,¡± Cy commanded her, kicking at her rear. ¡°Or it will be the flattest one on the ground.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt it,¡± she pleaded, gently rubbing it before scooting so that he could pick it up.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°Please be careful, Cy,¡± her father emphasized. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to buy extra pumpkins.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know,¡± Cy grumbled. Maggie picked up another of the pumpkins, and Oliver sat down next to the one their father had just sat down near Daphne.

    ¡°Be right back again,¡± he said with a small smile.

    ¡°What are you going to carve on yours?¡± Oliver asked Daphne.

    ¡°Probably a cat face,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°What are you thinking?¡±

    ¡°Something scary looking!¡± her younger brother exclaimed.

    Daphne grimaced. ¡°Why are you all obsessed with scary things?¡± she asked. ¡°Halloween should be about candy.¡±

    Ollie shook his head. ¡°Halloween is supposed to be scary,¡± he insisted.

    ¡°You¡¯re the only one who thinks Halloween is just for candy,¡± Daphne, Cy¡¯s voice said behind her. ¡°It¡¯s probably because you¡¯re a big wuss.¡±

    Daphne turned and scowled at him. ¡°Only stupid people love being scared,¡± she shot back, her heart aching from Cy¡¯s barbed comment.

    ¡°Only the strong desire fear,¡± Cy replied back. ¡°Which just means you¡¯re weak.¡±

    ¡°Stop,¡± Maggie groaned. ¡°Let¡¯s just carry these pumpkins before Mom and Dad get back, Cy.¡±

    ¡°Ugh,¡± he replied, bending over to pick up one of the last two pumpkins. Maggie lifted the one by Ollie.

    ¡°Do you want to play cars when we get home?¡± Ollie asked Daphne.

    ¡°That sounds fun,¡± Daphne replied with a smile.

    ¡°I wonder how long it will take for them all to get out of traffic today,¡± Ollie said.

    Daphne saw her mother who had Viola strapped to her front, and her father, coming back, hauling a few more pumpkins in a tow.

    Why did Mom and Viola have to come? Why couldn¡¯t she just ask Dad to bring back pumpkins for the two of them?

    Viola was almost a year old, meaning their mother had spent an inordinate amount of time trying to get her to stay calm during the car ride, and as soon as they had gotten to the pumpkin farm. As far as Daphne was concerned, it had been a waste of all of their time to wait for their mother to deal with Viola.

    I can¡¯t wait to go home.

    Viola started fussing on their mother¡¯s stomach in the carrier. Daphne saw the exasperated look on her mother¡¯s face and knew that today was going to be a rough day, come what may.

    ¡°Dad!¡± Cy exclaimed. Daphne turned and saw her two older siblings walking up to the group. ¡°Dad, did you know there was a haunted house here?¡± Cy asked.

    ¡°They have that every year,¡± her father replied with a smile she recognized as a frustrated one. He carefully set the pumpkins down.

    ¡°Can we go to it?¡± Maggie asked.

    Her father¡¯s smile turned even more strained, and he looked over at Daphne¡¯s mother. She was bouncing up and down, trying to calm the fussy Viola. ¡°Kim,¡± he said. ¡°The kids want to go to the haunted house.¡±

    Kim¡¯s eyes lit up as if she was a kid on Christmas morning. Oh no. Mom is going to want to go through it, too. Daphne¡¯s stomach rolled inside of her, twisting and releasing as it went. God, I do not want to go through the haunted house at all.

    ¡°That sounds fun,¡± Kim said. ¡°What do you think, Ian?¡± she asked.

    ¡°What about Viola?¡± Ian asked. ¡°Won¡¯t she cry from all the screaming?¡±

    Kim shrugged. ¡°It will just be interpreted as someone upset by the haunted house, probably,¡± she said.

    Ian looked as though he didn¡¯t quite believe her. Daphne knew her dad was not one to argue with their mother. Whatever she said was typically how things went.

    Crap. Cy and Maggie picked up the last pumpkins. She looked over at Ollie, who also seemed to be excited by the idea of the haunted house. I¡¯m completely out numbered.

    ¡°Alright, then,¡± Ian said, wiping the sweat off his brow. Daphne noticed that the smile didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes. ¡°While you both take those last pumpkins to the car, I¡¯ll go buy us some tickets so we can go through the haunted house.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Cy exclaimed, and Daphne knew that if he didn¡¯t have arms full of pumpkins, that he would be fist punching the air. ¡°Thanks, Dad!¡± he exclaimed.

    Daphne turned and watched the three of them leave, before she turned back to Ollie and her mother. Her heart was pounding in her chest.

    What should I do? It¡¯s too late to tell Dad not to buy me tickets. Should I just go in with all of them? Her stomach tightened. Do I even have a choice?

    ¡°Are you excited for the haunted house, Ollie?¡± their mother asked, reaching down to stroke his dark, fluffy hair.

    ¡°Obviously, Mom!¡± he exclaimed, as he looked up at her, his face full of glee. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to go to one! They look so cool!¡±

    Kim grinned back at her child, and then her dark eyes settled on Daphne like spotlights searching through Daphne¡¯s entire being. What about you, Daph?¡± she asked, her smile softening a bit. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve been to a haunted house before either.¡±

    Daphne nodded, doing her best to paint a smile on her face as bright as Oliver¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯ve never been,¡± she confirmed. ¡°Thanks for letting us go, Mom!¡± she exclaimed. She punched her fist in the air the way she¡¯d seen Cy do so many times before. Her mother grinned happily, and some of the tension in Daphne¡¯s body loosened again. It retightened only moments later when she heard her father, Cy, and Maggie walking back up.

    ¡°I hope there is a clown,¡± Cy was saying. ¡°Just so I can see you tremble.¡±

    ¡°Gross!¡± Maggie shouted back. ¡°I hope a clown tries to chainsaw you so I can see you pee your pants!¡±

    ¡°Guys, stop,¡± Ian said, looking overwhelmed.

    Kim just smiled at him. ¡°Do you have the tickets?¡± she asked.

    He nodded and passed them out to everyone. ¡°It takes three tickets to get in, so don¡¯t lose them on the walk over there!¡±

    Ollie popped up off the ground excitedly, while Daphne stood up more slowly, pools of ice starting to settle into her stomach.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fall behind, Daphne!¡± Cy called out to her, sticking his tongue out. ¡°Loser.¡±

    Daphne couldn¡¯t bear to respond. She was struggling enough to keep her emotions in check and look like she was excited about the haunted house.

    Daphne quickly dragged behind, getting the back view of her family. No one seemed to be paying all that much attention to her or notice that she was rapidly falling behind. He couldn¡¯t bring herself to call out to them, knowing that doing so would mean she would have to go into the haunted house with them.

    Maybe they won¡¯t even notice that I¡¯m not there. She glanced over at a sign that said, ¡°Hay bale rides: one ticket.¡± I can just ride this a few times. I¡¯m sure by the time they¡¯re done with the haunted house, I should be done riding the hay bale ride.

    Taking a deep breath, feeling the pools of ice beginning to melt in her stomach, Daphne strode up to the teller for the ride.

    ¡°One please,¡± she said, tearing off a single ticket and handing it to the teller.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, taking her ticket. ¡°You¡¯re going on alone?¡± he asked her. ¡°Where are your parents?¡±

    She nodded at him. ¡°They went to the haunted house,¡± she said. ¡°They¡¯ll swing by and pick me up when they¡¯re done.¡± She smiled at him in hopes of assuaging his fears, but he still looked wary.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°But stay safe, kiddo. I¡¯ll keep my eyes peeled for you.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said with a smile. She walked up to the hay bale ride, and climbed onto one of the back seats.

 Chapter 22

    A few additional people boarded the trailer, mostly parents with young children. No one sat next to her, and the trailer wasn¡¯t full when they began to drive forward.

    Daphne took a breath of the chilling air. The sun was on the horizon, and the sky was beginning to rapidly darken. Jack o¡¯ lanterns lit up the pathway though the corn field, shining brightly in their various facial expressions and designs. As the trailer got further into the field, Daphne saw scarecrows that were placed throughout the field wearing a variety of different costumes and lit up with little Halloween lanterns. Some were meant to look scary, others silly and whimsical.

    Daphne found herself giggling at the decorations and enjoying the cooling night, the stress of being with her family starting to ebb away. Everyone is so noisy. I wish that I didn¡¯t have so many siblings. She looked up at the night sky in hopes of seeing a shooting star. There were only a few stars that were starting to come out. I can¡¯t wait until I no longer have to live with my parents.

    The hay bale ride came to an end, and Daphne got off the trailer, and went back to the area where she had sneaked away, near the ticket taker. She looked around, scanning the area for any sign of her family, only to find them nowhere.

    Huh. It must be a long haunted house.

    She went back up to the teller and handed him another ticket. ¡°Another ride?¡± he asked, and she nodded. ¡°Your parents still at the haunted house?¡± He couldn¡¯t hide the skepticism as well on his face the second time.

    ¡°They are,¡± she confirmed. ¡°They said they would come and get me when they are done.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± the teller replied, grabbing her ticket and letting her through to jump back up on the trailer.

    By the time the second ride began, the sun had fully set, making it more difficult to see some of the decorations that Daphne had been able to see during the daylight.

    Still, the pumpkins glowed happily, and off in the distance this time, Daphne could see an enormous Jack O¡¯ lantern, lit up, brightening the field in the night. She looked up again, and couldn¡¯t see any shooting stars. I wish I could make a wish on one, she thought.

    The ride ended a second time, and Daphne once more got off, and looked around for her family. The population of the pumpkin farm was beginning to dwindle, signaling that it was possible the farm would be closing soon. The iceberg in her stomach had long since melted, but she could feel her insides starting to freeze again.

    I¡¯m sure it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not like they would leave me. I¡¯m sure Oliver or Maggie would say something if I didn¡¯t get in the car with them.

    Daphne walked back up to the teller. ¡°You again?¡± he asked as she handed him her last ticket. ¡°You sure your parents went to the haunted house?¡±

    Daphne¡¯s stomach tightened at his words. ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± she replied anyway.

    ¡°It¡¯s the last ride of the night,¡± he told her, gesturing to the hay bale trailer. ¡°So, if they are still missing after, I¡¯ll help you find them.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Daphne replied with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be looking for me after I¡¯m done.¡±

    He nodded, but still didn¡¯t look as though he believed her. She, too, was beginning to question herself.

    She hopped back up on the trailer, the air starting to nip at her skin through the light jacket she¡¯d chosen to wear earlier in the day. She huddled into it, pulling it tighter around her body.

    Surely, they didn¡¯t leave me here. The ride started again, this time with only Daphne on it. They couldn¡¯t possibly have abandoned me, right?

    Daphne thought of her father¡¯s warm gaze, looking down at her earlier when she had chosen her pumpkin. Dad wouldn¡¯t forget about me, right?

    Her stomach growled, which meant it was nearing dinner time. They¡¯ll notice if I don¡¯t come to the table, right? They¡¯ll send someone to check my room, right?

    It wouldn¡¯t be the first time that Daphne had been forgotten for dinner, if they didn¡¯t, though. Her stomach was beginning to roll, and nausea was setting in. The pumpkins and scarecrows that had looked cute only two rides ago, now looked as though they were trying to scare her.

    She tightened her jacket around her even more. It¡¯s going to be okay, Daphne told herself, feeling her eyes prick. I don¡¯t need to cry. Mom will have Viola on her chest, looking for me after I get off the ride. Maggie and Cy will be fighting again. Ollie will talk to me about playing cars. Dad will be relieved when they find me.

    Doubt was beginning to pervade every corner of her mind. She was starting to wonder if her little disappearance act would end up putting her mother over the brink for the day.

    Daphne started to shake, not only from the cool air, but from the emotions that were threatening to overwhelm her. She should be in a good mood from the haunted house, right? Oh God, why did I do this? I should have just stuck it out through the haunted house. It probably wouldn¡¯t have been that scary, right? Oh, why did I do this?

    Daphne felt ill, as once again, the hay bale ride came to an end. She scrambled off the trailer and looked around near the entrance of the hay bale ride. She looked all around her, and the pumpkin patch was deserted.

    ¡°No parents seem to be found,¡± the teller said, walking up behind Daphne. She recognized his voice, but still whirled around, her heart thundering ini her chest. ¡°Would you like to go together to find them?¡± he asked.

    Daphne looked up and closely examined the ticket taker. He smiled at her. ¡°You ought to be wary,¡± he told her. ¡°That means your parents taught you well, even if they seem to be missing in action right now.¡±

    ¡°Where will you take me to go look?¡± Daphne asked cautiously.

    ¡°First, we¡¯ll go check the haunted house area and see if there was maybe some mix ups in the instructions and they are waiting for you over there,¡± he said, holding up one finger at her. He popped up a second one. ¡°Next, we will check the pumpkin patch area. Third, we¡¯d check the parking lot. Finally, if it seems like their vehicle is no longer on the lot, we¡¯ll go to the office and give them a call on their phone. How does that sound?¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Daphne squinted at him, thinking of the few interactions she¡¯d had with him. He seems trustworthy. At the very least, he seems nicer than Mom.

    ¡°That sounds good,¡± she said.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll lead the way.¡± He turned and started walking towards the area where her family had continued walking earlier in the day. They walked past the food area, where the sellers were shutting down for the evening. The teller walked up to one that advertised it had caramel apples and Daphne¡¯s stomach growled. I wish I was an adult. Then I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about parents, and I could buy my own food¡­

    She watched as the teller paid for an apple. It got handed to him on a stick and it looked gooey and delicious. Daphne felt her mouth watering at the sight of it.

    ¡°Here,¡± the teller said. ¡°You¡¯re probably really hungry.¡± He reached out to her, offering the apple.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Daphne said, before taking a large bite into the apple.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± he said. ¡°But try to keep up, okay? We don¡¯t need you getting more lost than you already are.¡±

    Daphne nodded, taking another bite into the apple as the teller began to briskly walk towards the haunted house. At times, Daphne had to run a little to keep up.

    Finally, they made it to the haunted house¡¯s teller. ¡°Sorry, we¡¯re closed for the night,¡± she announced as Daphne and the hay bale teller walked up.

    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± the teller said to the haunted house ticket taker A look of surprise crossed her face.

    ¡°Kevin?¡± she asked. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Kevin gestured at Daphne. ¡°This girl was riding the hay bale ride while waiting for her parents to finish their jaunt through the haunted house. Are there any parents or families who are looking for a lost child?¡± Kevin asked.

    The haunted house teller shook her head. ¡°Unfortunately not,¡± she replied in the same tone of gravelly voice she had used when she¡¯d told Kevin she was closed. ¡°No one has asked about any missing children tonight either.¡±

    Kevn frowned as Daphne took another bite of the apple. She could feel her heart sinking into her chest, and she was hoping that the sweetness of the apple would subdue some of the pain of having been abandoned at the pumpkin farm. But it did not.

    Tears stung in her eyes again, warning her of their desire to fall. I can¡¯t cry. I don¡¯t want Kevin to think I¡¯m scared.

    ¡°Alright, kiddo,¡± Kevin said, looking over at Daphne. ¡°Let¡¯s go check the pumpkin picking area.¡±

    She nodded, taking another bite of her caramel apple. ¡°Okay,¡± she murmured.

    Kevin began walking briskly towards the pumpkin patch. Daphne continued trying to keep up with Kevin¡¯s long legs. They walked for several minutes before they finally made it to the deserted pumpkin patch. Daphne¡¯s heart clenched in her chest.

    They literally left me here. They didn¡¯t even notice that I wasn¡¯t with them. Daphne¡¯s heart shattered into smithereens, thinking of her father¡¯s face only hours ago when he¡¯d found her with her pumpkin. Am I really that invisible to them?

    ¡°Well, it looks like they aren¡¯t here either,¡± Kevin said as Daphne took the final bite of her apple.

    She nodded. ¡°Where to next?¡± she asked.

    Kevin squinted his eyes at her. ¡°You¡¯re not sending me on a wild goose chase, are you?¡± he asked. ¡°Just pulling my leg and your parents are somewhere nearby?¡±

    Daphne looked at him blankly. ¡°What would I do that for?¡± she asked.

    ¡°You just don¡¯t seem all that upset,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Most kids who have gotten separated from their parents are usually crying by this point.¡±

    Daphne felt her eyes widen a bit. That¡¯s a normal reaction? It was the kind of reaction that she had inadvertently erased in an attempt to keep the peace with her mother.

    Externally, she shrugged a little at Kevin, despite the waves of crushing sadness crashing through her heart. ¡°My parent¡¯s don¡¯t seem to notice me most of the time, anyway,¡± she said. ¡°Why would this be any different?¡±

    Kevin made a face as if she¡¯d physically wounded him, and he nodded. ¡°To the parking lot for a quick check, and if they aren¡¯t there, we¡¯ll go back to the office to give them a call, okay?¡±

    Daphne nodded. ¡°Okay,¡± she agreed.

    They quickly walked, straight to the parking lot. It was deserted, save for the few employee vehicles that were parked further away than where her family had parked earlier.

    ¡°It looks like they left,¡± Kevin said. ¡°So to the office we go.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s legs were starting to ache from all the walking. They burned trying to keep up with Kevin. But still, she did not let herself cry.

    The office was not as far of a walk as Daphne was worried it would be. Kevin turned a key in the lock, and they walked into the dark building. Kevin flipped on the lights, and strode over to the secretary¡¯s desk, and pulled out a phone book.

    ¡°What¡¯s your last name, kiddo?¡± he asked, flipping the phone book open to a random page.

    ¡°Woods,¡± Daphne replied.

    Kevin pulled open the back of the book. ¡°Do you know your parents first names?¡± he asked.

    How old does he think I am?

    ¡°Kimberly and Ian,¡± she replied, sitting down on a dark leather loveseat that was close to the door. There was a cool draft coming in, but the room was far warmer than it had been outside.

    Kevin was running his finger down all the names of Woods who were in the phone book. ¡°Found them,¡± he exclaimed, picking up the receiver. ¡°What was your name again, kiddo?¡±

    ¡°Daphne,¡± she replied.

    Her heart sank further into her chest. Not only did they leave me in the first place, but Mom is going to be furious that she had to drive back out here to pick me up.

    Daphne chewed on her lip, thinking back to how sensitive her mother had been before Cy brought up the haunted house.

    Maybe I should have just stayed the night here. Or actually ran away.

    ¡°Hello?¡± Kevin said into the receiver. Though Daphne was sitting across the room, she could hear her mother¡¯s shrill voice through the receiver.

    ¡°Yes, my name is Kevin and I¡¯m calling from Patchwork Pumpkin Farm¡­¡± Kevin paused, and Daphne could hear her mother responding through the receiver. ¡°¡­yes, yes, I¡¯m so glad our pumpkins were such high quality for you and your family.¡± He paused again. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you all had a great time today.¡±

    Daphne choked. She hasn¡¯t even noticed that I¡¯ve gone missing. Or she doesn¡¯t care and is happy to be rid of me.

    A knot was welling up in her throat. If Viola hadn¡¯t been born¡­Would Mom still love me?

    She shook her head at her thoughts. As much as I wish that were true, Mom has <u>never</u> loved me. <u>I</u> must be the problem.

    ¡°Yes, so I¡¯m calling because I have Daphne here at the pumpkin patch. It seems as though you may have accidentally left her behind.¡±

    The phone in Kevin¡¯s hand fell silent. ¡°Daphne?¡± she could barely make out her mother calling. There was a beat of silence.

    ¡°Sure, yeah, I can hang on a second,¡± Kevin replied with a nod only Daphne could see. He looked over at Daphne and smiled awkwardly.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she murmured softly. ¡°My Mom is a little difficult,¡± she added.

    Kevin shook his head at Daphne. ¡°It¡¯s no problem,¡± he said, muffling the receiver.

    Across the room, Daphne could hear her mother¡¯s shrill voice again. It didn¡¯t feel as though her heart could sink any lower, and instead, her chest was beginning to feel tighter and tighter.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Kevin said. ¡°Yep, she¡¯s here with me. Twenty minutes? Yes, I can wait with her for you to get her. Sure. Yep. No problem, Mrs. Woods.¡±

    The phone clacked against its cradle as Kevin put it down. He looked over at Daphne with a smile. ¡°Your mom said she will be here in twenty minutes.¡±

    She¡¯s going to be furious. And I¡¯m going to suffer until Halloween is over and one of my other siblings messes up big time. She swallowed hard. I hate Halloween.

    Twenty minutes passed too quickly, and Kevin walked Daphne to the parking lot again. Her mother was there, with a smile on her face that Daphne knew immediately was one of the fake ones.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for the inconvenience,¡± Kim said, handing Kevin a few dollars. ¡°We have a big family, so it¡¯s hard to keep track of all the kids.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Kevin said. ¡°It¡¯s happened before. You¡¯re not the first parent to have left their child.¡± He smiled at Daphne¡¯s mom, while she reached down and tightly gripped Daphne¡¯s hand, nearly causing pain. ¡°Have a good night,¡± Kevin said, turning to walk away.

    ¡°You, too!¡± Kimberly replied, yanking Daphne towards the car as soon as Kevin¡¯s back was turned. She lowered her voice. ¡°Get in the fucking car,¡± she hissed.

    Daphne could barely breathe. She was going to be in the car, alone, with her furious mother for twenty minutes.

    ¡°Now,¡± her mother commanded more firmly from Daphne¡¯s hesitance.

    ¡°Yes, Mother,¡± Daphne replied, climbing in the back seat, and clicking the door shut.

    As soon as her mother¡¯s door slammed shut, all hell broke loose.

 Chapter 23

    ¡°Daphne, over here!¡± she heard Holly¡¯s voice calling out to her from the strip mall square where they had decided to meet up at.

    Daphne could barely make out the short woman who was craning her neck to see Daphne. Rather than having her signature two braids, the woman¡¯s hair was out and bushy, curling every which way widely.

    Daphne waved, jogging a bit to get out of the chaotically busy parking lot. Signs were all over the sidewalk, announcing all of the early fall sales that were going on.

    ¡°Hey, Holly,¡± Daphne said, striding up the gray stone path towards her friend.

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you could make it!¡± Holly exclaimed brightly. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking forward to this all week.¡±

    Daphne did her best to smile widely. ¡°I have been as well,¡± Daphne replied.

    Internally, Daphne was feeling a bit off balance. She had no idea what to expect from a shopping trip with Holly.

    ¡°Alright, then! We¡¯re going to have a ton of fun,¡± Holly replied, grinning brightly and taking Daphne¡¯s hand. ¡°Do you have any preference of where we start first?¡±

    Daphne looked down at their interconnected hands. I¡¯ve never had a friend be so affectionate before. She had always looked with envy at the girls in school who had been affectionate with their friends. Not only had Daphne never had a friend who had been that kind to her, but she¡¯d never been close enough with anyone to have expected it.

    Holly looked back up at Daphne¡¯s face, and quickly let go of her hand, looking concerned. ¡°Ah, sorry,¡± she said. ¡°Hopefully I didn¡¯t offend you. Sorry.¡± She looked away. ¡°A lot of people complain that I¡¯m too affectionate of a person.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°I was just surprised because I¡¯ve never had an affectionate friend before,¡± she said.

    Holly looked over at her scoldingly. ¡°Of course you haven¡¯t,¡± she said with a dramatic sigh. ¡°I keep forgetting you¡¯ve barely lived.¡± She grabbed Daphne¡¯s hand and pulled her forward. ¡°I hope you¡¯re willing to actually try living today.¡±

    Daphne felt a grin spreading across her face. ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± she said.

    ¡°Good,¡± Holly replied, pulling her in the direction of a salon. ¡°Since you¡¯ve never done this before, I¡¯ll just choose for you.¡±

    Daphne let out a little laugh, looking up at the clear October sky, and noticing the leaves had turned to orangey yellow, brightening the sky with their colors.

    ¡°That sounds great,¡± Daphne said.

    ¡°My sister does hair here,¡± Holly said. ¡°She¡¯ll fix you up really nice.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± Daphne asked. ¡°My hair?¡± She honestly couldn¡¯t even remember the last time she¡¯d gotten her hair taken care of.

    ¡°Yes, you,¡± Holly replied, looking back at her with a glare. ¡°Have you seen how disastrous your split ends are at the bottom of your hair?¡± Holly asked fiercely. ¡°Every time I see them, I swear I can hear your hair screaming for help.¡±

    ¡°Pfft,¡± Daphne replied, attempting to hold back a laugh.

    ¡°You laugh now, but just you wait until my sister has worked her magic on your hair.¡±

    The door automatically opened in front of them. ¡°Holly!¡± A voice in front of them exclaimed. ¡°You came.¡±

    The hair salon smelled sweet like a fruity perfume, and was done up in a modern, black and white, look with huge square lights on the ceiling.

    Daphne looked over at the woman who was standing at the counter. She was different than Holly in a lot of ways. She was tall, with a caramel complexion, and sparking blue eyes.

    ¡°She¡¯s your sister?¡± Daphne asked.

    ¡°Yep,¡± Holly replied with a grin up at Daphne. ¡°Noelle, this is who I was telling you about who was in desperate need of your expertise.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about desperate need,¡± Daphne muttered.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Noelle,¡± the woman said, offering her hand to Daphne.

    ¡°Daphne,¡± she replied, shaking her hand. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Noelle,¡± Holly whined, ¡°Please fix her split ends. I¡¯m sad every time I see them.¡±

    ¡°How do you know what that is?¡± Daphne asked, feeling her ears warm as both women stared at her, dumbfounded by her question.

    ¡°Let me show you,¡± Holly said, grabbing a small handful of Daphne¡¯s hair at the end. ¡°Let¡¯s see here¡­¡± she pulled out a few strands and reached them up to Daphne. ¡°Do you see how the strands are breaking into two?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Daphne replied with a nod. ¡°Split ends.¡±

    Holly dramatically threw down the strands and they floated down towards the rest of Daphne¡¯s hair. ¡°There¡¯s so many things you can do for the health of your hair, and it will make it less frizzy too.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Daphne asked, perking up at the idea.

    ¡°Maybe a bit,¡± Noelle said, looking closely at Daphne¡¯s hair. ¡°You still have very thick hair with a lot of volume, but the strands are very soft and light, so it¡¯s possible you¡¯ll always be up against some level of fuzziness.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Daphne replied, feeling her heart sink a little. She had always been jealous of Maggie¡¯s sleek hair, but it seemed as though it wasn¡¯t meant to be.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°I might be able to suggest a few products to help with it, too,¡± Noelle said with a nod, ¡°But I won¡¯t really get a sense of what might work for you until I get started on your hair cut.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°I guess, shall we get started then?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Noelle said, smiling. She gestured for Daphne and Holly to walk around the counter.

    Noelle sat Daphne down in a chair, and pulled out a comb, gently running it through her hair. ¡°I be this hair gets really snarly,¡± she observed.

    ¡°It does,¡± Daphne replied. She heard the comb catching on her hair. Noelle quickly ran the comb through, getting out all of the knots while Holly sat in the chair next to Daphne, chatting happily. Noelle washed and began gently cutting the split ends off. Holly suggested some framing curtain bangs on the side, which Daphne consented to. Noelle offered to add some highlights, but Daphne said no, admitting that she¡¯d never dyed her hair either, but that she really liked her color of hair as well.

    Noelle dried Daphne¡¯s hair, at the end of it all, adding in some smoothing products that resulted in a still fluffy, but more polished look.

    ¡°This stuff is incredible,¡± Daphne said, touching her softer, smoother hair, and seeing the reflection of herself do the same. It was hard to believe a quick hair trim and some product could make her hair look so much better.

    ¡°I can sell you a bottle if you want,¡± Noelle offered. ¡°You just have to put it on after you shower every time, to maximize its effectiveness.¡±

    Daphne blinked a few times. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yep!¡± Holly chirped happily. ¡°Taking care of your hair is kinda easy!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll buy it,¡± Daphne said with a small smile.

    As she walked up to the register with Holly and Noelle, Daphne felt her heart ache. Their mother had always been too buried in her garden to teach the daughters how to be young women. Maggie had been far more popular in school than Daphne had been, so she¡¯d at least been able to learn from her friends.

    It sucks that I¡¯m already twenty-six and only just now learning these tips and tricks.

    ¡°Your total is going to be fifty-six, ninety-three,¡± Noelle said.

    ¡°For all of this?¡± Daphne asked, her eyebrows raising.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Noelle replied with a smile and a nod. ¡°I¡¯ll keep giving you the family discount if you keep coming here for your haircuts, too.¡±

    Daphne looked down at Holly, feeling her eyes sting a little. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said.

    Where were you years ago? I didn¡¯t know how badly I needed this.

    Daphne put her card in the slot. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to come back then,¡± she added to Noelle. Especially now that I¡¯ll have extra money now that I won¡¯t be taking care of Gary.

    Even though Daphne knew that Gary had been using her, she still felt a twinge of pain in her heart at the thought of his name.

    She chewed on her lip. Time to let go of that ass. It¡¯s time to put myself first.

    ¡°Thanks for coming!¡± Noelle said as Holly started tugging Daphne out of the salon.

    ¡°Thanks for the help!¡± Daphne exclaimed, a bright grin spread on her face. ¡°Where to next?¡± she asked, giggling a bit and turning towards Holly.

    ¡°Makeup is next,¡± Holly replied.

    ¡°Makeup?¡± Daphne asked, feeling her eyebrows raise. ¡°I¡¯m not very good at it,¡± she added hesitating a bit.

    ¡°No time to learn like the present,¡± Holly told Daphne, still marching them forward.

    She¡¯s got that right, I suppose. The upcoming accident came to mind, and how she¡¯d wished to be happy. I guess it is something I just never took the time to learn. For all I know, I¡¯ll really like it.

    Holly dragged Daphne into the makeup boutique that had popular music playing over it¡¯s loudspeakers. ¡°Makeup for work takes a lot less time than you¡¯d think,¡± Holly was explaining. ¡°Most of the time, my work makeup takes me about five minutes.¡±

    Daphne blinked at her a few times. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know you wore makeup to work,¡± she admitted.

    Holly grinned devilishly. ¡°That¡¯s kinda the point.¡± She pulled Daphne up to a saleswoman. ¡°Hello!¡± she exclaimed brightly. ¡°Any chance we could get a shade match for my friend here?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Of course!¡± the sales rep replied, plastering a customer service smile on her face. The rep escorted them over to a huge rack with foundations of every skin color under the sun. ¡°Would you hold out your arm for me, darling?¡± she asked. ¡°Wrist up please.¡±

    Daphne did as was asked of her, and the sales representative started pulling down glass vials and comparing them to Daphne¡¯s skin. ¡°Let¡¯s try these three,¡± she suggested. She reached out the bottle towards Daphne¡¯s free hand. Daphne reached out. The woman squirted the tiniest spot of foundation onto Daphne¡¯s finger. Daphne looked over at Holly, unsure of what she was supposed to do with the sample.

    ¡°Rub it into a spot on your arm,¡± Holly instructed. Daphne nodded and did so. The foundation looked a touch yellow on her skin.

    ¡°You probably have an olive skin tone,¡± the woman suggested, handing another jar to Daphne to try.

    ¡°Is that a good thing?¡± Daphne asked, rubbing the second sample on a different spot on her arm.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a good or bad thing,¡± Holly replied. She peered at Daphne¡¯s arm. ¡°I think that may be the one.¡±

    ¡°I think so,¡± the saleswoman said with a nod and a small smile. She put the bottles back onto the shelf, and pulled one off for Daphne that had never been opened and handed it to her. ¡°If you¡¯re new to makeup, this is the cheapest option we have for foundation.¡±

    ¡°Perfect, thank you,¡± Daphne said, closing her hand tightly around the little bottle of foundation.

    ¡°Do you ladies need any help with anything else?¡± the sales rep asked.

    ¡°Nope, we¡¯re good,¡± Holly replied. ¡°Thanks for your help.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± the woman said. ¡°Feel free to let one of us know if anything else comes up.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Holly said. She looped her arm through Daphne¡¯s and started pulling Daphne towards a display that said ¡°junkie.¡± ¡°This is my favorite brand,¡± Holly said.

    ¡°Is it any good?¡± Daphne asked, looking perplexed.

    Holly just scoffed. ¡°You¡¯ve never heard of ¡®junkie¡¯ makeup before?¡± Daphne just shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s some of the best you can get at a relatively inexpensive price.¡± Holly pulled out a light pink pressed powder and put it next to Daphne¡¯s face. ¡°Perfect,¡± she said. ¡°I had a feeling this would be your color.¡± She grabbed a brown tube, a clear tube, and a pink tube that matched the powder. ¡°If you want a nice look for every day at work, these are the things I¡¯d recommend,¡± she said.

    ¡°All of these?¡± Daphne asked.

    ¡°Well, switching between these two,¡± Holly said raising up the pink and clear tubes.

    ¡°What is all of this?¡± Daphne asked.

    ¡°This here is some blush,¡± Holly said about the powder. ¡°This is mascara,¡± she gestured to the brown tube, ¡°And these are two different lip glosses.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to put on any of this, except for the lip gloss,¡± Daphne said, shaking her head.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send you a video that shows you how,¡± Holly said grabbing a brush and a sponge to boot. ¡°And I¡¯ll pay for half of this if you promise to give it a try Monday morning.¡±

    Daphne wanted to protest. It would mean getting out of bed even earlier. But Holly¡¯s words when they met up came to mind, about how Daphne had never lived. ¡°Okay,¡± she replied with a resigned sigh.

    ¡°Perfect!¡± Holly said. ¡°This should be all you need.¡±

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s good,¡± Daphne said. ¡°Probably any more than this and I would be overwhelmed trying to figure it out.¡±

    ¡°We can get more next time then,¡± Holly said, eyeballing pallets of many different colors.

    They walked up to the register and paid, Holly getting points for her rewards account from Daphne¡¯s purchase.

    ¡°What now?¡± Daphne asked as they walked out of the makeup store.

    ¡°What do you mean what now?¡± Holly asked. ¡°It¡¯s clothes time.¡±

    ¡°Clothes too?¡± Daphne asked, incredulous

    ¡°Obviously,¡± Holly replied with a grin. ¡°I tried to make this as much of a ¡®classic post break up¡¯ shopping trip as possible.¡±

    Daphne heard herself laughing loudly. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re doing this?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s my way of making you feel a bit better,¡± Holly replied triumphantly. ¡°Hopefully it¡¯s working.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s working,¡± Daphne replied, laughing again. Her mind had only wandered towards Gary once during the entire trip. She knew if she had been at home with only Tanpopo to talk to, it wouldn¡¯t have been the case.

    ¡°Good,¡± Holly said. ¡°Then let¡¯s find you some clothes before we go get something to eat.¡±

    ¡°Sounds great,¡± Daphne replied back, her heart warm, and smiling brightly at Holly.

 Chapter 24

    Daphne¡¯s alarm blared. It was Monday morning again. She turned off the noise coming from her phone, and pulled herself out of bed. Tanpopo was laying at the end of the bed, looking up at her. ¡°Good morning, bud,¡± she said, gently patting his head. He nuzzled her and yawned, giving her the ¡°food time?¡± eyes immediately after. She smiled at him.

    ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± she said as she started walking towards her kitchen. She heard him jump off the bed behind her, mewing excitedly. She grabbed his bowl and washed it.

    ¡°It¡¯s been two full weeks now,¡± Daphne murmured as she grabbed his can of wet food. Daphne¡¯s chest tightened as she pried the lid off of the can. She sighed heavily as she cut the meat in the can in half. ¡°Shit,¡± she said loudly. ¡°It¡¯s been two weeks and I¡¯ve made zero progress.¡±

    She aggressively started chopping up the pate in the bowl, making it easier for Tanpopo to eat. Beneath her, he was rubbing himself around her ankles and meowing with greater intensity.

    It would be one thing if being murdered hadn¡¯t come out of nowhere. But I¡¯m not even sure who to suspect.

    Sighing heavily again, she placed the bowl down for Tanpopo, who happily started chowing down. She turned and started prepping her coffee maker to make her morning coffee.

    There¡¯s three weeks to Halloween. I¡¯ve wasted two weeks already just sorting out the situation with Gary. She pressed her fingertips to her temples, then pressed the brew button on her coffeemaker. Her phone vibrated with a notification of some kind, and the date caught her eye. It was October 10<sup>th</sup>.

    I¡¯m already almost halfway through October. The pressure inside of her was building. It would have been one thing if the killer had given me some hints in the past¡­like hate mail, or sabotaging me¡­or something¡­

    She paused, thinking back on her fading memories of what the future was supposed to be like. Or maybe there was something like that and I didn¡¯t notice before. She walked into the bathroom to start her shower water so it would warm up in time for her to get in.

    She regularly neglected to check her mail thoroughly. All of her bills were on autopay, so it wasn¡¯t as though she had gone through each and every piece of mail she had gotten. As for sabotage, she knew she was pretty quick to assume that she had just looked over something, or done it to herself, so perhaps the killer had given her some hints, and she had just never noticed.

    She aggressively ran her hands through her thick hair, stepping into the shower. The warm water soothed her, forcing her to relax, at least a little bit.

    I should stop focusing on the negatives so much. It¡¯s only been two weeks. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve probably made <u>some</u> progress, not none.

    She chewed on her lips. Her heart ached. She hugged herself, thinking of how much she had thought that she had loved him before she came back to the past, and before the original breakup.

    Her heart throbbed for the na?ve girl she had been. Instead, I found out he was taking advantage of me, and cheating on me the whole time. Her eyes pricked. I should at least give myself some credit that I¡¯ve made some progress towards finding happiness. It¡¯s not as though I will be stuck in a dead-end relationship as long as I was last time. She swallowed hard, her throat tightening. I wish I hadn¡¯t been so immature in the past.

    Daphne got out of the shower, drying off and getting dressed. I guess I can hope for happiness with someone else when I¡¯m ready again. She pulled out the cosmetics that she and Holly had split the cost of. Daphne had spent a good chunk of the day on Sunday watching videos on how to do makeup. She¡¯d struggled a bit at first, but as Holly suggested, the ones that she¡¯d picked out were relatively simple. Daphne had struggled the most with the mascara, but after several tries, she had started to get the hang of it.

    She put on her makeup and chose to go with the light pink lip gloss. She pocketed it into her slacks, deciding she¡¯d put it on once she got to work. She¡¯d quickly learned that lip gloss did not stay on well through eating.

    She walked back into the kitchen, and poured herself a cup of coffee. Glancing at the clock, she realized that it was a little later than she¡¯d been hoping it was. Groaning, she quickly made herself some breakfast and sat down at her small table. She glanced over at Tanpopo¡¯s hammock, where he was happily cleaning himself, and she smiled. I am glad that Tanpopo is happy. Maybe I¡¯ll spend some time playing with him¡­more than I did before.

    She sighed, taking a sip of her hot coffee. All I can do at this point is just to keep moving forward. All I can do is wait until there is something I can use to start figuring things out. She chewed on her lip. For my happiness¡­ She thought about how she would have been absolutely convinced that she could find happiness with Gary, only two weeks ago. Her heart panged. Time heals all wounds. She took another sip of her coffee. Eventually it won¡¯t hurt anymore. She took one more gulp of her coffee. I¡¯m just impatient. I still have time.

    ~

    Thought it was early October, the wind had a bite in it that chilled Daphne through her coat as she was walking up to the office building from the parking garage. She pulled her coat tighter around her, chewing on her lower lip. God I should have skipped putting makeup on. She took a quick glance at her watch. I should have just kept practicing in the evenings. Holly probably would understand. Daphne let out a heavy breath. I have so much to catch up on that I probably won¡¯t be out of here until six thirty. She sighed again. Traffic was so bad this morning. If I¡¯d left at the same time any other morning, it probably would have been fine.

    As she was nearing the building, she noticed that someone was standing next to the doors, looking at their watch and then looking around. A little closer and she could tell that it was Landon. Their eyes met and Daphne saw him smile and he waved at her. She returned the gesture.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    ¡°What are you waiting here for?¡± Daphne asked as she got closer.

    ¡°I was waiting for you,¡± Landon replied, a grin blossoming on his face.

    ¡°For me?¡± Daphne asked, her eyebrows raising. ¡°You know it¡¯s warmer inside than out here, right?¡±

    Landon¡¯s smile turned into a smirk. ¡°Of course I know that. I was just hoping that you might come early enough so that we could go get a cup of coffee together to celebrate my graduation from being a trainee.¡±

    Daphne felt her eyes widen. This most certainly never happened in the past. Things are beginning to change already.

    ¡°I have a lot to get done today,¡± Daphne murmured.

    Landon smiled a little and nodded. ¡°You always do. I¡¯m more than happy to help since I know I¡¯ll be eating into your work time with my celebrative coffee.¡±

    Daphne wavered a little. I do never get to do things like this. This is also clear evidence that things are changing, so maybe it would be good to go. But I have so much to get done that it could take me weeks to dig out from underneath it all¡­

    She chewed a little on her lower lip while Landon looked at her expectantly. Ah, fuck it. I put work ahead of myself all of the time.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she replied with a smile. ¡°As long as you help me today with my workload.¡±

    ¡°I promise,¡± Landon said, picking himself up from leaning against the wall, and leading the way to the coffee shop that he had chosen.

    ~

    ¡°Order number one-one-six, please!¡± a barista shouted. Daphne watched from her seat as Landon grabbed their drinks off of the counter. He had insisted on paying for both of their coffees, telling her that he¡¯d owed her a lot for his training. Daphne had shrugged and shook her head, telling him that he hadn¡¯t really needed her help training. Regardless, Daphne had accepted his gesture, not really knowing how to say no.

    Still, as Landon walked over to the table with a silly little grin on her face, she was beginning to wish that she¡¯d said no. The whole thing was beginning to have an aura of¡­a date.

    Daphne shook her head at herself. It¡¯s just a celebration. Stop misinterpreting things.

    Landon placed her coffee cup in front of her. She pulled out the stick that kept it sealed in hopes of it cooling off a little bit faster.

    She looked up at Landon who had a bit of a cute look on his face. She chewed on the inside of one of her cheeks. What if I¡¯m actually not wrong about the vibe I¡¯m getting? Then what? Butterflies fluttered in her stomach and she felt her chest tighten a little. He has a girlfriend. Hopefully I won¡¯t have to disappoint him.

    ¡°Congratulations on your first day as a fully trained employee,¡± she said with a smile.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Landon replied, the sweet smile on his face widening.

    ¡°The training wheels are off now!¡± Daphne exclaimed. ¡°Though I¡¯m not sure you even needed them in the first place.¡± She took a small sip of her coffee. It was still piping hot, causing her to burn herself a little. She held back a flinch.

    He laughed at her statement. ¡°I appreciate that,¡± he said. ¡°The environment definitely feels grueling enough to doubt myself. I also really appreciate the time you spent training me, even though you were extremely busy.¡± His face was filled with adoration, which caused Daphne¡¯s stomach to tighten even further.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Daphne said, waving at him as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal at all¡­even though she knew it had been extra work for her. ¡°I was just doing my job, after all.¡±

    Landon looked down at his coffee cup, chuckling a little with a soft grin on his face. ¡°I look forward to working with you more in the future, and if you are ever overwhelmed and need help, I¡¯m still more than happy to give you a hand if I have time.¡±

    Daphne smiled at him and took a small drink of her coffee. It was cool enough for her to drink now, but still hot enough that it made her burn hurt.

    I wish I had a bit of alcohol to drink in this situation. She noticed the air was starting to become thick with whatever true purpose Landon had for taking her out to coffee. Maybe I could deal with what is coming better.

    Landon took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Daphne felt her eyebrows raise and her chest tighten, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering more rapidly.

    Does he even know that Gary and I broke up? She tried to remember who all at work she had told. She was fairly certain she had only mentioned it to Holly.

    ¡°I actually asked you to coffee because there was something I wanted to tell you,¡± Landon said.

    Daphne felt her stomach drop at his words. Shit. He¡¯s really going to make me reject him, isn¡¯t he?

    Her throat tightened. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± she asked, knowing fully well already where the conversation was going.

    ¡°I¡¯m, uh¡­¡± he stuttered a bit, a blush spreading across his face. ¡°I¡¯m interested in you, Daphne,¡± he said.

    Daphne had to bite her tongue. Fuck. Landon is a nice guy¡­But I¡¯m not ready for another relationship. I have too many other things I need to figure out.

    ¡°And all the time at work,¡± Landon continued, ¡°I see you texting your boyfriend and looking frustrated. I just can¡¯t help but think you deserve better, and I want to be that for you.¡±

    Daphne felt her heart skip a beat. He¡¯s so earnest.

    ¡°I see,¡± she replied. ¡°What about your girlfriend?¡± she asked, trying to dodge the issue.

    ¡°Rose?¡± he asked raising his eyebrows. He frowned and shook his head. ¡°Honestly, the way that she was when she came to visit was really enlightening. It was a side of her I hadn¡¯t seen before, so I called it quits with her after that.¡±

    Daphne felt her eyes widen as she sat back further into her chair. I judged Landon too harshly that day. She remembered how confused she¡¯d been that such a kind person could be dating someone so¡­bitchy.

    ¡°Wow,¡± she replied.

    ¡°What about you and your boyfriend?¡± Landon asked. ¡°It seems like things are pretty rocky.¡±

    Daphne pursed her lips, her heart sinking that they had circled back to her. I might as well be honest. I¡¯ll just tell him that I¡¯m not ready for anything yet.

    ¡°We broke up,¡± she answered.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Landon replied, looking a bit excited. ¡°So then¡­?¡±

    The air was thick with his expectations. Daphne¡¯s throat tightened, and she began to feel as though she was drowning in his eagerness.

    Daphne smiled awkwardly. ¡°To be entirely honest, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready for another relationship right now,¡± she said. ¡°I had a lot of expectations for that relationship I was in and ended up getting really hurt because I didn¡¯t face reality. So. I need to heal before I can move on to someone new.¡±

    Landon nodded solemnly. ¡°That¡¯s fair. I can understand that. I didn¡¯t really know how toxic Rose was until I was without her.¡± He pursued his lips, looking disappointed.

    Daphne¡¯s heart was thundering in her chest. I can¡¯t believe I just did that. Her throat tightened enough that she couldn¡¯t speak. She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing the whole situation would just go away so that she didn¡¯t have to deal with it anymore.

    I at least told him a true excuse. Though she knew the underlying truth she was trying to hide from herself, even in that moment, was that she wasn¡¯t really interested in Landon at all in that way.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll at least consider me as a possible candidate for a partner in the future when you¡¯re ready again,¡± Landon said with a puppy dog like smile on his face.

    ¡°Of course,¡± she lied, smiling.

    ¡°I hope that my feeling won¡¯t put a damper on our work relationship either,¡± Landon continued. ¡°I think you¡¯re really cool and intelligent, and incredible at your job, frankly.¡±

    Daphne felt her face warming under the flurry of his compliments. ¡°Thank you,¡± she murmured, taking another drink of her coffee. ¡°I¡¯ll keep your feelings in mind and try to not let it affect our work.¡± She smiled, doing her best to make it look as genuine as possible.

    Landon looked relieved. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said.

    Daphne¡¯s stomach was swirling and she took another big of her coffee in hopes of calming it, but to no avail.

 Chapter 25

    Daphne looked at her watch for probably the sixteenth time since she and Landon had left the coffee shop. It had only been eight seconds since the last time she¡¯d looked at her watch. It was still only nine minutes after eight.

    Daphne looked over at Landon in the corner of the elevator. He smiled awkwardly at her. She smiled back, feeling the same discomfort. Barely a word had been exchanged on their walk back to the office, and Daphne honestly wished she¡¯d had an excuse to stay at the caf¨¦ a little longer just so she hadn¡¯t had to bear the weight of the uncomfortable silence between them.

    What did he expect after he told me his feelings? He thought I was still in a relationship, so surely he didn¡¯t think I would accept and start going out with him, did he?

    She swallowed hard, staring at the number on the elevator slowly ticking upward. Even if I had accepted his feelings, it probably still would have been odd to come back to work together.

    She chewed on her tongue, resist the urge to tap her fingers rapidly. I don¡¯t want to hurt his feelings, but I¡¯m not really sure how I can possibly go back to treating him the same at work¡­at least right away.

    Her mind drifted a bit to her life before the accident. <u>Did Landon feel the same way before?</u>

    The elevator finally dinged, and the doors opened. Landon gestured for Daphne to go first, and she smiled at him tightly, wondering if all of the oxygen in the building had been sucked out. If I thought it was just going to be the elevator¡­I was wrong.

    They began the journey to their cubicles, Landon trailing behind her. It¡¯s too bad his new cubicle is right next to mine¡­I literally will not be able to get a break from him at all¡­ She pursed her lips, looking at the floor. I¡¯m just going to have to do my best to make sure things are as normal as possible.

    Daphne glanced up. They had almost made it to the cubicles! She could escape into her work and use her busyness as an excuse not to deal with Landon and his feelings¡­for the day at least.

    A pair of high heeled feet appeared in Daphne¡¯s path. She had been walking so quickly she had to stop so abruptly that she nearly tripped over herself.

    Shit. What now?

    ¡°Rose?¡± she heard Landon¡¯s voice behind her ask.

    Daphne¡¯s head shot up, and she met the eyes of the black-haired vixen she¡¯d met recently. Landon¡¯s now¡­ex-girlfriend.

    ¡°What the fuck is this?¡± Rose said, crossing her arms over her well-endowed¡ªor fake?¡ªchest.

    ¡°E¡­excuse me?¡± Daphne asked. ¡°I just need to get to my desk, please.¡± She did her best to stare the woman down in her eyes, and not crumple like a flower getting stepped on.

    ¡°You¡¯re not sitting down anytime soon,¡± Rose replied, taking a step towards Daphne with one of the dangerously pointy heels.

    ¡°Uh,¡± Daphne replied, taking a step back at Rose¡¯s advance. ¡°I need to work though?¡±

    Rose glanced over at Landon. ¡°You lying son of a bitch,¡± she murmured. Her voice grew again, and she jabbed one of her perfectly made-up nails into Daphne¡¯s sweater. ¡°You¡¯re cheating on me with her, just like you said you weren¡¯t!¡± Rose exclaimed, glancing back over at Landon.

    Daphne looked around the office. People were staring, as she¡¯d rightly expect them to. Her stomach did flip flops. Son of a¡­!

    Daphne took another step back and put her hands up, gently pushing Roses¡¯s dagger finger away from her. ¡°No, no, no,¡± she said, shaking her head. ¡°You don¡¯t understand¡­¡±

    Rose cut her off, narrowing her eyes at Daphne. ¡°Oh, I understand perfectly alright,¡± she replied. ¡°There is nothing to explain. You can shut your whore mouth.¡±

    Daphne felt her eyebrows shoot up. She had to chew on the inside of her cheek to stop her jaw from dropping. Didn¡¯t Landon just tell me that they broke up?

    ¡°We¡¯re not together,¡± Daphne insisted, despite the order Rose had barked at her. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in him at all.¡±

    Daphne knew her words might hurt Landon a little, even though they were truthful. But her heart was pounding in her chest. All she cared about was getting away from the dangerous woman in front of her.

    ¡°I said to shut your whore mouth,¡± Rose screeched at Daphne, acting as though she was going to slap Daphne across the face. Daphne shrunk back, flinching and preparing for the impact.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Rose,¡± Landon¡¯s voice said behind Daphne, softer than she¡¯d ever heard him speak.

    Rose let out a sound that Daphne could only interpret as a guttural growl. ¡°She stole what is mine,¡± Rose replied, spitting at Daphne, which she watched land on tip of her own shoe.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°We broke up,¡± Landon said behind her.

    ¡°And what good reason would you have for breaking up with Rose Hawthorne?¡± Rose asked, advancing a step forward toward Daphne again. ¡°Unless you were cheating on me with someone else?¡±

    Even though Daphne was not looking at Rose¡¯s face, she could feel Roses¡¯s eyes combing over her, boring holes of white-hot hatred into whatever flaws she could find.

    Behind Rose, Daphne noticed that in the cubicle next to her own, Fiona was smirking. What the fuck? Did Fiona see Landon and I leave together for coffee? What does this girl hate about me so much?

    ¡°Daphne and I are not together,¡± Landon said firmly. ¡°I¡¯ve told you that multiple times.¡±

    ¡°Then what are you doing coming back to the office together ten minutes after eight?¡± Rose sneered. She looked down at Daphne, and Daphne looked away again.

    ¡°I bought Daphne a coffee as a ¡®thank you¡¯ for training me so well,¡± Landon said. ¡°It was a celebration for my first day out of training.¡±

    Rose grunted. She didn¡¯t seem to have a rebuttal to that. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± she replied. ¡°Out to coffee as a thank you for training? Bullshit,¡± Rose continued. ¡°I saw the way you looked at her when I visited. You talked to me about her all the time.¡± Daphne heard the sound of grinding and wondered if it was Roses¡¯s teeth. ¡°She must feel the same. Why else would you break up with me?¡±

    Daphne heard Landon sigh. ¡°Get out,¡± he said to Rose. ¡°You are not welcome in this office. This is a place of professionalism and work, and you are making a scene.¡±

    Did something like this happen the first time around? Daphne studied Fiona¡¯s gleeful face more closely. I feel like I remember something like this, but I¡¯m not sure. She chewed on her lower lip. I¡¯m not sure if it was Rose before or not, but I remember apologizing for something I didn¡¯t do and sitting down to do work immediately after. Daphne narrowed her eyes. Why did I do that?

    Heat was beginning to course through her body, and she felt something inside of her snap.

    Daphne looked up at Rose, firmly pushing her off and away from her body. ¡°Do you hear yourself?¡± Daphne asked. ¡°Landon and I are not dating,¡± she said tightly. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be that big of a deal for someone to get coffee with a co-worker, even if you were dating. It¡¯s no wonder he broke up with you with this attitude.¡± Daphne scowled up at the taller woman. At first, Rose had looked a bit taken aback from Daphne¡¯s words. But now, pure venom was dripping off of Rose¡¯s face.

    ¡°You stupid bitch!¡± Rose said, gearing up to swing at Daphne, seemingly for real this time.

    I will not flinch this time. Daphne stood her ground.

    ¡°Rose, stop it!¡± Landon shouted behind Daphne.

    Daphne closed her eyes, waiting for the blow to come. Instead, she felt a body come in between her and Rose.

    ¡°Enough,¡± Asher said, the warmth completely drained from his voice.

    Daphne opened her eyes wide, to see Asher¡¯s tall frame in front of her, between her and Rose, holding Rose¡¯s hand in the air.

    ¡°You¡¯ve far surpassed the line of acceptable behavior, Rose,¡± Asher said.

    Rose¡¯s demeanor changed to a cute and childish manner. ¡°Ash,¡± Rose whined.

    Daphne felt her eyes widen at the nickname. ¡­Ash? What does that mean?

    ¡°I¡¯ve been seriously wronged by this woman. You don¡¯t understand.¡± Rose¡¯s voice was honeyed again, and all of the traces of the scorned, spiteful woman she had been only moments earlier was gone.

    ¡°So what?¡± Asher asked in a harsh voice, one which Daphne had never been able to imagine coming from him. ¡°That doesn¡¯t give you an excuse to physically assault her.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart fluttered a little. She knew Asher¡¯s words were true, but the fact that he¡¯d said them out loud at her defense made her have butterflies, nonetheless.

    ¡°But Ash,¡± Rose whined. All of the fluttering in Daphne¡¯s heart stopped, and she felt it starting to sink into her chest.

    Wait a second. Did Rose just say that her last name was¡­Hawthorne?

    A lump formed in Daphne¡¯s throat at the idea that Asher might be related to Rose in some way. Her stomach twisted up inside of her. I don¡¯t know which is worse. Having Rose as an ex-girlfriend, or having Rose as a family member. Either way, being involved with either of these men involves being closer to this woman I want nothing to do with.

    ¡°Leave,¡± Asher said to Rose firmly. ¡°Before the police get called on you.¡±

    Daphne took a quick look around the room and noticed a few cell phones. Oh my God. Please don¡¯t let this end up on social media.

    ¡°No,¡± Rose replied in a pouty voice.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be calling Father,¡± Asher said, fishing his phone out of his pocket.

    Daphne peeked around Asher and noticed that Rose looked horrified. She rolled her eyes, probably trying to diminish Asher¡¯s threat. ¡°Fine,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t want Daddy to know about this anyway.¡± She walked around Asher, and intentionally nailed Daphne¡¯s shoulder with her own. ¡°This isn¡¯t over,¡± she hissed as she sauntered off towards the elevators.

    Silence fell in the office. Daphne noticed that everyone was still staring at the three of them, save for Fiona, who looked like she was pretending to focus on her work instead.

    Well¡­ I¡¯m glad I told Landon I wasn¡¯t interested. The whole office is going to have their eyes on every single one of our interactions after this.

    ¡°Sorry for my sister¡¯s behavior,¡± Asher said loudly to the whole office. He turned to look at Daphne, and took a couple of steps back, finally giving her personal space. He took with him the warm, clean scent that was emanating from him.

    His eyes met hers. ¡°Please forgive me for not intervening sooner,¡± he said, bowing his head.

    Daphne¡¯s face started heating up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± she muttered. On her left, Landon came and stood beside her. He was a bit too close for comfort, and Daphne frowned. She noticed Asher¡¯s eyes flipping between the two of them.

    He must be wondering if we were telling the truth or not. Just like I¡¯m sure the whole office is now as well.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize Rose was your sister,¡± Landon said.

    Asher nodded. ¡°We¡¯re twins, if you can believe it,¡± he said.

    Fuck! They are very closely related then. Her heart sank further into her chest. Her eyes pricked a little. I wonder if he¡¯s as crazy as his sister.

    The normal sounds of the office were beginning to come back, as the scene had pretty much dissipated.

    ¡°See you both later,¡± Asher said with a nod, as he turned. Daphne focused on his retreating back. His shoulders were broad, his back muscles clearly strong.

    ¡°They couldn¡¯t be more different,¡± Landon observed. ¡°Sorry for the trouble, Daphne,¡± he added, before turning to go back to his own desk.

    He¡¯s right. I feel like I knew a pair of male-female twins when I was younger¡­

    She turned and sat down at her own cubicle, starting her workday twenty minutes late. I wonder if Asher and Rose are the same twins I knew growing up.

 Chapter 26

    Tanpopo is going to be so angry with me. Daphne climbed the stairs to her apartment. She glanced at her watch. It was a quarter to eight. Daphne had passed off as much work as she could to her friendly colleagues, but it still hadn¡¯t been enough to make up for the time she¡¯d lost early in the morning.

    I¡¯m going to have to start more seriously looking for a different job. Especially with how uncomfortable it¡¯s going to be with Landon going forward.

    All day at the office, she had heard murmurs and whispers behind her back about her and Landon. She wasn¡¯t quite sure how she was going to disprove that they weren¡¯t together. She knew bringing it up again would only serve to make her look even more guilty.

    She was thankful that she had gotten to have lunch with Holly. Holly had barely brought up the incident. She had only asked Daphne if she was okay, and if she and Landon were truly dating or not. When Daphne had confirmed they weren¡¯t, Holly had just accepted it and moved onto talking about how excited she¡¯d been when she saw Daphne wearing her makeup as she¡¯d promised. Holly had complimented her on how well she had done. They¡¯d then started planning their next shopping trip. Daphne smiled when she recalled it. It was something she was very much looking forward to already.

    Holly had been a welcome relief from all the stares and whispers. Daphne had spent the majority of her day trying to ignore it all¡­and wondering about Asher¡¯s thoughts on the whole matter.

    She sighed upon reaching the top of the stairs. At least Tanpopo will be excited to see me after this rigorous day. That¡¯s at least something to look forward to.

    She started down the long hallway to her apartment door, staring at the floor. The last thing she wanted, after a day of dealing with other people, was to have any other interactions with anyone else.

    ¡°Daphne,¡± she heard a voice say, that sent a shiver down her spine.

    How did she find me? Daphne slowly brought her head up to confirm it was who she thought it was.

    ¡°Daphne, I¡¯m so happy to see you,¡± the woman¡¯s voice said again. Daphne¡¯s eyes met the icy blue ones of Kimberly Woods, her mother.

    I am sorry, Tanpopo. Daphne spun on her heel. I hope you¡¯ll forgive me for making you wait a little longer.

    ¡°Wait!¡± her mother cried out as Daphne began walking away from her apartment.

    Did Maggie betray me? Heat started to course through her. I specifically asked her not to talk to mother about me, and she went and told her where I live?

    Daphne¡¯s heart was pounding as she started down the stairs she had just finished climbing. She heard her mother¡¯s footsteps plodding down the hall. ¡°Daphne!¡± her mother cried out again. ¡°Please, I just want to talk to you!¡±

    If only that was all you wanted.

    ¡°Daphne!¡± her mother called from the top of the stairs. ¡°Please just listen! I¡¯ve been hearing so much about you from Magnolia lately, and I just had to see how well you were doing for myself.¡±

    Hearing Maggie¡¯s full name struck Daphne like a bolt of lightning. I forgot that she calls Maggie by her full name. In her mind¡¯s eye, she could see Maggie¡¯s face wincing at her full name.

    Right. I should have more faith in my sister. She probably didn¡¯t even known that our mother was planning on coming here with how volatile and impulsive Mother is. Mother probably looked up my address herself.

    Daphne continued her descent down the stairs, now hearing her mother scurrying down after her.

    ¡°Magnolia said you seemed to be doing really well,¡± Kimberly continued, much to the chagrin of Daphne, and a couple of passerby¡¯s. ¡°She said you seemed really happy. I figured I should see it for myself if my baby girl is truly happy.¡±

    Baby girl? Daphne choked on her mother¡¯s words. Viola is her baby girl. Happiness? She has no desire to see me happy, either. She¡¯s here to rob me of my happiness!

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    Daphne¡¯s fists clenched, and she felt her forehead starting to perspire a little.

    ¡°Across all of this time that you have refused to respond to me in, I have thought of you often,¡± her mother continued. Daphne was nearing the end of the stairs.

    Will she continue to follow me outside? Is there a chance I could lose her outside? Or will she wait at my apartment door until I talk to her or call the police?

    ¡°I nearly cried when Magnolia told me that you were doing so well!¡± her mother exclaimed from above. ¡°Please believe me,¡± she added with a whimper.

    Daphne paused and closed her eyes, her heart aching for the mother she wished she had. If only I could believe her. She shook her head at herself, opening her eyes and continuing her descent. I need to make sure to remind Maggie not to talk to Mother about me.

    ¡°I was overwhelmed with joy when Magnolia told me she had heard from you,¡± her mother continued, her voice drawing closer. ¡°It¡¯s been months, Daphne, months! Since anyone in the family heard from you. You could have been dead for all we knew. Goodness sakes.¡±

    Daphne had reached the door. She turned her head and saw that her mother had nearly caught up to her. She may be old, but she¡¯s still quick on her feet.

    ¡°I thought that since you were talking to Magnolia again, that you might be willing to put an end to this familial strife.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s eyes met her mother¡¯s cold ones. She¡¯s lying. She¡¯s only here to steal my happiness away from me just like she always has.

    Clearly exasperated from chasing Daphne down the stairs, her mother sighed heavily, and her shoulders started shaking.

    Daphne felt her eyes widen, and her jaw nearly dropped. Is she crying?

    ¡°Daphne,¡± her mother murmured softly, the chills still flowing down Daphne¡¯s spine from her name in her mother¡¯s mouth. ¡°I¡¯m¡­so sorry,¡± she said, a sob clearly in the back of her throat.

    Daphne¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She turned her head slightly to see her mother practically collapsing down on herself on the first landing.

    Daphne chewed on her lip. Everything in her was screaming that this was her mother¡¯s usual tricks, that it was a trap, and that she just should walk out the door. But still, there was a part of her heart that ached, hoping that for once, it wasn¡¯t all an act.

    ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to apologize to you for some time,¡± her mother continued. ¡°But you never let me have the opportunity.¡±

    Has she really changed? Have I been too harsh? How might she have reacted to my death?

    Against her better judgement, Daphne could feel her heart softening. She turned, looking at her mother, tears dripping onto the carpet of the stairwell. Daphne chewed on the inside of her cheek for a moment and then made her decision.

    I¡¯ve already died once. If it¡¯s too hellish, I can just walk out again. For now, I can keep my distance to see if she¡¯s really changed or not. She can have a trial period. What¡¯s the worst that can happen to me at this point?

    ¡°Apologies will never be enough,¡± Daphne replied, her voice harsh and unyielding despite the warmth growing in her heart. ¡°You have to prove your words through actions.¡±

    Her mother nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes, looking back at Daphne. Her eyes were bloodshot. Daphne knew it was the telltale sign that her mother had been genuinely crying.

    ¡°I will,¡± she said. ¡°So long as you give me a chance to try.¡±

    Daphne chewed on her lips, still unsure if she was doing the right thing. ¡°This is your chance,¡± Daphne replied.

    ¡°Really?¡± Her mother had on the look of a brand-new puppy. She rushed down the remaining stairs, and leaped into Daphne, wrapping her arms around her daughter¡¯s neck in a hug.

    Daphne had to do her best not to recoil. It was not the reaction she had been expecting at all. I don¡¯t know how I feel about any kind of affectionate contact with this woman, Daphne thought. Her stomach rolled as her mother hugged her. Just as she always had been, her mother¡¯s hug was cold.

    Stepping out of the hug, Kimberly regarded her daughter and pinched her on the cheek. ¡°Look at you!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°You look like a true professional.¡±

    Those tears sure faded fast.

    ¡°I am a professional,¡± Daphne said with a half-hearted smile.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m throwing a little family dinner this weekend,¡± her mother said with a bright grin. ¡°Would you be willing to come? If you have a partner, please bring them, too. I¡¯d love to meet them!¡±

    Daphne frowned. So, this is what she was actually after. There must be a reason why she wants to get everyone back together, then.

    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it and let you know,¡± Daphne replied.

    A touch of the energy on her mother¡¯s face faltered a bit, but she ended up nodding with a small smile. ¡°Thank you for thinking on it,¡± she said. ¡°I really do hope you¡¯ll be able to join us, though.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± Daphne replied.

    ¡°Well,¡± her mother replied, still far more chipper than she should be for someone who had just been crying. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re busy, so I¡¯ll be on my way to let you be.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Daphne said, narrowing her eyes a little at her mother. ¡°Goodbye.¡± She began her ascent back up the stairs.

    ¡°See you soon!¡± her mother replied. Daphne heard the door slam behind Kimberly as she left the apartment building.

    That woman has done truly unforgivable things to me. Daphne¡¯s fists clenched again. If she thinks a mere apology is going to make up for it, she¡¯s going to have another thing coming. Daphne paused. But I¡¯ll give her a chance. A <u>single</u> chance.

 Chapter 27

    Twelve-year-old Daphne glanced over at her littlest sister, Viola, rolling around on their parent¡¯s bed. Daphne couldn¡¯t hold back a scowl. Viola was talking happily to herself with one of her dolls, but it was hard for Daphne to focus on the movie she was watching with all of the noise Viola was making.

    ¡°Would you shut up?¡± Daphne growled at her sister. Viola continued her babbling and Daphne wasn¡¯t sure if she continued because she didn¡¯t know what the words meant, or didn¡¯t care.

    Why did Mom and Dad leave me to babysit? Daphne grimaced at the television in front of her. Though Daphne had seen the movie, one of her favorites, probably fifty times or so, her favorite part was coming up, and she didn¡¯t want to be straining her ears to hear over her sister¡¯s babbling.

    I miss when Oliver was the youngest. Daphne grabbed the remote and turning the volume up to fifty.

    ¡°What do you say, your highness?¡± the male lead of the story was asking. ¡°Do you want to go for a ride?¡±

    The screen panned over to the heroine¡¯s face. She smiled, clearly beginning to fall in love with the handsome non-prince. ¡°I¡¯d love to,¡± she said.

    As the woman in the show stepped up to get into the carriage, Daphne heard a metallic thunk, and Viola¡¯s screams.

    Growling, Daphne paused the show. I¡¯ll have to rewind.

    She turned to look at where Viola had been laying on their parent¡¯s bed, only moments earlier, and her heart dropped. Viola wasn¡¯t there.

    The screams from the floor continued. ¡°What are you yelling about?¡± Daphne shouted back at her sister. She crawled across the bed, and her stomach dropped at the sight of all of the blood on the floor.

    ¡°Viola?¡± she asked, quickly climbing off the bed, leaning over her sister, and picking the child up into lap. Blood, sticky, metallic, and sweet, coated her hands as she pulled her sister into her lap.

    Viola¡¯s shrieks continued. ¡°Viola,¡± Daphne said again, her breath starting to get panicky, as blood continued to pool into Viola¡¯s dark hair. ¡°Where does it hurt?¡± she asked.

    Viola didn¡¯t seem to hear her, as the wailing continued. It¡¯s at least a wound somewhere on her head. Daphne began to search the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°Oliver?¡± she screamed for her little brother.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± she heard him reply. He seemed to be standing nearby, and Daphne wondered if he had been coming to see what had happened.

    ¡°Bring me the house phone,¡± Daphne demanded, still peeling through Viola¡¯s sticky hair.

    Finally, Daphne laid her eyes on the source of the bleeding. It had only been days prior that Daphne had learned at school to stop the bleeding, a wound needed to be compressed. She grabbed a corner of her parent¡¯s blankets, and pressed it into Viola¡¯s skull, causing the girl¡¯s shriek to go up a notch.

    ¡°Ssh,¡± Daphne said, trying to comfort her sister, that only moments before, she¡¯d been wishing didn¡¯t exist. ¡°I know it hurts.¡±

    Viola¡¯s cries were beginning to calm down, and she was starting to hiccup instead.

    Oliver came back in and threw the house phone across the bed to Daphne. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked as she reached for it, causing Viola to whine with pain again.

    ¡°I¡¯m not really sure,¡± Daphne admitted. ¡°One second she was on the bed, the next she was on the floor crying and bleeding.¡±

    She hit the talk button the cordless home phone, the dial soujnd loud enough for her to hear. She dialed the numbers of their parents single cell phone, a number that their mother had drilled into all of their heads, save for Viola¡¯s. It had always been just in case for emergencies. Daphne had never imagined having to actually use it.

    Oliver came around to the side of the bed with a roll of paper towels to start mopping up the blood. ¡°It looks like she may have hit her head on the corner of this vent,¡± Oliver said, pointing at the heating unit by their parent¡¯s bed.

    Leave it to Oliver to appear to be the most responsible. She watched him mop up the blood, the phone ringing in her ear.

    ¡°Hello?¡± her father¡¯s voice said on the other side of the receiver.

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    ¡°There¡¯s an emergency!¡± Daphne exclaimed, thankful that it was her father who picked up the phone, and not her mother.

    She heard him inhale sharply. ¡°Daphne, is that you?¡± he asked. ¡°What happened?¡± He was talking quickly, as if the words were jumbling out of his mouth without much thought.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me,¡± she replied. ¡°Viola fell off your guy¡¯s bed and her head is bleeding.¡±

    Her father¡¯s inhaled sharply again. ¡°How bad is she bleeding?¡± he asked.

    Daphne quickly pulled away the blanket from her sister¡¯s head to assess the flow. ¡°It¡¯s not too bad anymore,¡± she replied, sighing a bit with relief. Daphne knew that her mother would still make her pay, as the responsible party, but she was at least relieved that the wound wasn¡¯t as bad as it could have been.

    If Viola had died on her watch, her mother would have killed Daphne with her own two hands.

    ¡°But it was pretty bad?¡± he asked, his voice breathy.

    ¡°I think so,¡± Daphne replied, her voice shaking a little.

    ¡°Are you putting pressure on it?¡± he asked.

    Daphne nodded, and then remembered her father couldn¡¯t see her. ¡°Yes,¡± she answered.

    ¡°Good,¡± her father said. ¡°Keep doing that. We¡¯re almost home so don¡¯t call an ambulance. We can take her to the hospital ourselves, okay?¡± he asked.

    Daphne felt her stomach twist around inside of her. Viola has to go to the hospital because of me. Mother is going to be beyond furious.

    Daphne swallowed hard, knowing her mother would not treat her kindly for this accident. ¡°Okay,¡± she said.

    ¡°I love you, Daphne,¡± her father said in a reassuring voice. Daphne¡¯s fears couldn¡¯t be assuaged. Her father was not the one she was afraid of.

    ¡°I love you, too, Dad,¡± she said.

    ¡°See you soon.¡±

    ¡°See you soon,¡± she replied, hanging up the phone.

    ¡°What did they say?¡± Oliver asked as Daphne put the wireless phone on the bed.

    ¡°They said they¡¯ll be home soon to take her to the hospital,¡± she answered. ¡°But it¡¯s probably going to be okay for Viola.¡±

    Oliver breathed out a sigh, his brown eyes meeting Daphne¡¯s. ¡°You know mom is going to be really angry,¡± he said.

    Daphne grimaced. Her heart sunk low into her chest. ¡°I¡¯m just grateful Viola is okay,¡± she lied. She was grateful her sister was okay, but she wished that none of it had happened in the first place.

    A few minutes later, Daphne heard the front door to their house opening. Her father¡¯s and mother¡¯s footsteps quickly echoed down the hallway. Her mother was the first one into the room, and she let out a scream when she saw all of the paper towel sopping with Viola¡¯s blood.

    ¡°Daphne!¡± she exclaimed as Daphne¡¯s father stepped into the room behind her. ¡°You call this a small amount of blood?¡± Kimberly shrieked.

    ¡°I¡­I didn¡¯t,¡± Daphne replied, surrendering Viola to her mother, who lifted the child onto the bed to assess the damage.

    ¡°You worthless and incompetent child!¡± Kimberly screeched while hugging Viola tightly. Daphne saw Oliver scurry out of the room. ¡°What the hell were you doing that allowed this to happen?¡±

    Daphne felt nauseated. ¡°It was an accident,¡± she replied, meekly, feeling her body curl in on itself.

    ¡°An accident? So, you pushed her?¡± Kimberly accused her shrilly.

    ¡°Kimberly, stop,¡± Daphne¡¯s father said, resting a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I doubt Daphne pushed her off herself.¡±

    Kimberly shrugged off her husband¡¯s hand. ¡°She may as well have pushed Viola!¡± she accused Daphne, still staring at her middle child¡¯s face. ¡°She was in charge when this happened. That makes it her fault!¡±

    Daphne had no rebuttal but instead continued to sink further into herself.

    ¡°Kimberly,¡± Ian said.

    She ignored him. ¡°I specifically asked you to watch Viola carefully because she¡¯s still so fragile. Only someone who is jealous of their siblings would do something like this.¡± Kimberly let out a heavy breath.

    Daphne¡¯s heart panged. Despite her father¡¯s attempt to defend her from her mother, her mother¡¯s words rang true. She was jealous of Viola, just as she had been jealous of Oliver when he was born.

    I¡¯m just too greedy. My desire for attention is too much. She looked up at her mother¡¯s red face, her tears twisting Daphne¡¯s guts up even more. I¡¯m smothering Mother.

    ¡°Kimberly!¡± Daphne¡¯s father shouted, interrupting whatever she had been telling Daphne. ¡°That¡¯s enough! It was an accident. Daphne did not mean to hurt Viola. But we need to get her to the hospital, and you are wasting time berating our child instead!¡±

    Daphne looked over at her father¡¯s face as he snatched Viola out of Kimberly¡¯s arms and into his own. Blood was beginning to trickle down into her hair again. I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s angry for Viola¡¯s sake, or mine.

    ¡°Accidents happen with kids all the time. But right now, we need to get Viola treated.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Kimberly growled, her blue eyes ablaze with what could only be described as hatred. ¡°Go get Viola to the car. I need to finish talking to Daphne first,¡± she commanded.

    Her father sighed heavily. ¡°Hurry up,¡± he murmured threateningly. ¡°We do not have time to waste.¡± He turned and walked out of the room, trying to calm Viola who was starting to fuss again.

    Kimberly turned back to Daphne, and for a brief moment, Daphne met her mother¡¯s eyes and felt as though she was falling into an eternal pit of fire.

    ¡°I wish I had never given birth to such a worthless, incompetent being,¡± Kimberly snarled. ¡°I should have aborted you when I had the chance.¡±

    Daphne did not get a moment to reply before her mother spun on her heel and strode across the room, slamming the door loudly behind her.

    Daphne curled up into the fetal position on the cold floor, not even bothering to climb back up into the warm bed. A sob choked out of her, and she cried out into the darkened room, the princess still paused on the TV, about to get into the carriage. Her whole body felt as though it had shattered into a million shards of glass, and if she tried to put it back together, she would end up cutting and breaking herself more than her mother¡¯s words had.

    Anywhere¡­anywhere else would be better than this house.

    She cried out into the night, doing her best to muffle most of her cries. No one came to comfort her.

 Chapter 28

    Tanpopo meowed at Daphne with great urgency as she finished chopping up his cat food. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tanpopo,¡± she said. ¡°I made you wait so long to eat.¡±

    Her own stomach twisted up at the thought of her sweet cat having waited for her to come home, only for her to come late, as usual, and have his food delayed even longer because of an unexpected visit from her mother.

    She sighed and looked down at him, his pink mouth and closing with his hungry sounds. Surely he¡¯ll forgive me, won¡¯t he?

    She grabbed the bowl off the counter and placed it down in the center of the room, and Tanpopo quickly began to chow down on its contents. She let out another heavy breath, and sank down next the cat, gently petting him as he ate. She winced a little at the cat food scent, as the smell wafted over to her a bit from his ravenous eating.

    Her mother¡¯s words from Viola¡¯s accident when Daphne was twelve echoed again in her mind. ¡°I wish I had never given birth to a such a worthless, incompetent being. I should have aborted you while I could.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart ached in her chest, the memory fresh in her mind, as if it had just happened all over again, only moments before. Daphne closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. ¡°Why would I even tell her in the first place that I would consider going to the family dinner?¡± Daphne wondered aloud. ¡°I¡¯m such a fool to even entertain the idea.¡±

    She gently patted Tanpopo¡¯s back as he licked every single inch of his bowl, making sure he had every single granule of cat food. ¡°Have I lost my goddamn mind?¡± Daphne asked him. If he was a human, she imagined that he would tell her that she had.

    Daphne chewed on her lip. ¡°Or do I just lose my resolve when she cries?¡± Daphne sighed, knowing it was most certainly the case. Her chin trembled, and she laid her head down on her legs. When will I stop longing for a person who doesn¡¯t exist? Will she have to die before I can fully move on? Will I never be able to stop wishing she¡¯s something she¡¯s not?

    A few tears squeezed out of Daphne¡¯s eyes and she sniffed as she felt Tanpopo curl around her, wrapping his tail around her legs.

    ¡°Tanpopo, you should have been my mom,¡± she croaked, looking at him and meeting his yellow green eyes. She reached down to pet him, and reached his head up to her head so that he could receive her pet a moment earlier.

    Daphne choked on her emotions from the affection Tanpopo gave her. ¡°A cat can be more affectionate towards me than the woman who¡¯s body I came out of.¡±

    Though Daphne knew that it was not fault of her own that her mother did not love her, feeling the warmth of Tanpopo¡¯s love made her feel like there may not be something wrong with her after all.

    Daphne sniffled and then started scratching under Tanpopo¡¯s chin. He gladly let her, closing his eyes, his face filled with pure enjoyment. She couldn¡¯t help but smile through her tears at his expression.

    Her phone started vibrating in her pants pocket, suggesting she might be getting a call. Surely, it¡¯s not Mother. I¡¯m pretty sure I still have her blocked.

    She fished her phone out of her pocket, to see that it was Maggie who was calling her.

    ¡°Hello?¡± she answered.

    ¡°Daphne?¡± Maggie¡¯s voice said on the other side.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Oh my God, I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart dropped into her gut. Was I too confident in Maggie? Did she actually give Mother my address?

    Daphne swallowed hard. ¡°Why are you sorry?¡± she asked, trying to keep her voice as steady as possible. Her stomach was doing flip flops.

    ¡°I just found out that Mother visited your apartment,¡± Maggie replied with a heavy sigh.

    Daphne chewed on the inside of her cheek and squeezed her eyes shut. Please don¡¯t let her have betrayed me.

    ¡°Yes, she was here,¡± Daphne confirmed, struggling a bit to talk with the growing lump in her throat. She cleared her throat and then continued. ¡°I didn¡¯t let her inside. She was standing in front of my door when I got home.¡±

    ¡°Fuck, damn it!¡± Maggie exclaimed.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    Daphne felt her eyes go a bit wide, as she wasn¡¯t quite sure she¡¯d ever heard her older sister cuss before.

    ¡°What?¡± Daphne asked, her heart skipping a beat.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Maggie said again. ¡°I made an offhanded comment about you, and I had gotten drinks the other night to Mom.¡±

    Daphne let out an audible groan. I think I already know where this story is going to go.

    ¡°I was firm with Mom,¡± Maggie continued. ¡°You know how she is. She immediately asked a thousand questions. I told her I wasn¡¯t going to go into detail, so whatever she told you I said while she was there is probably not true.¡±

    Daphne let out a breath she didn¡¯t even know she had been holding. Maggie didn¡¯t betray me.

    ¡°Thank you, Maggie,¡± Daphne said.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Maggie replied brightly. Daphne was sure that the other side of the phone, her sister was smiling. ¡°I know how serious you are about not talking to Mom. I¡¯ve been doing everything I can to make it as easy as possible for you to spend time without me without having to worry about her.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know you do,¡± Maggie said. ¡°And it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t understand why you want nothing to do with her,¡± Maggie sighed.

    ¡°So, what do you think happened then?¡± Daphne asked. ¡°Any ideas?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fairly certain that Mom looked up your apartment address or something like that,¡± Maggie said, ¡°I think she figured that if you and I are talking and spending more time together than we have in the past, that it must mean you¡¯re interested in mending the bridge with the entire family.¡± Maggie sighed heavily. ¡°I suspect this was the twisted logic she was using because while she was driving home from your apartment, she called me.¡±

    ¡°What did she say?¡± Daphne asked, her guts twisting around. All of the things that Maggie was saying sounded in character for their mother. It was making Daphne feel even more foolish that she had entertained her mother¡¯s request to come to the family dinner.

    ¡°She was bragging that she went and saw you at your apartment, and that you had agreed to come to the family dinner this weekend,¡± Maggie scoffed. ¡°She had the nerve to tell me that next time she needed something from you, she ought to just ask you herself since I never seem to be able to get you to come to family events.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart dropped in her chest. ¡°She said that I said I was going?¡± she asked.

    ¡°She did,¡± Maggie confirmed. ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°I said I¡¯d consider it,¡± Daphne replied.

    ¡°Typical Mom,¡± Maggie said with a small growl. ¡°No respect for boundaries and twisting the truth to suit her needs.¡±

    Daphne sighed heavily. ¡°Always,¡± she said. ¡°Those are like her signature moves.¡±

    The phone fell silent for a moment. ¡°Well,¡± Maggie said. ¡°I¡¯d advise you to make up your mind and let her know really quick what you¡¯re going to do for the family dinner then. You know how she is. She¡¯s going to tell everyone. So, if you wait too long, the whole town is going to think you¡¯re a terrible daughter if you say no.¡±

    Daphne felt her face scrunch up, and she rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she said. ¡°And suddenly the ¡®truth¡¯ will be that I backed out at the last possible moment, even though I never agreed to it in the first place.¡± Daphne snorted at the absurdity of it all.

    ¡°Yep,¡± Maggie replied firmly.

    ¡°Will you, Michael, and the girls be there?¡± Daphne asked, trying to figure out if the dinner was even worth going to in the first place.

    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Maggie grumbled. ¡°We are not looking forward to it at all.¡±

    What if¡­What if the answer to my problems lies in my mother¡¯s house? With work I have been running away from confrontation. Daphne winced at the memory of having to tell Gary she could no longer pay him. It had been hard to do, but it had allowed her to see what kind of person Gary was. She got to see that he had been using her for money all along.

    What if the reason I¡¯m not happy is because I¡¯ve been running away from my problems instead of facing them head on? For years, I have been sweeping things under the rug, with anything, but most of all, with Mom. What if the key to my happiness is to run through the pain rather than away from it?

    Daphne chewed on her lip, knowing that her mother¡¯s house likely held more secrets than she could even fathom a single person could have. The image of the headlights coming towards her, and the weight of the truck on her body flashed through her mind again.

    It¡¯s at least somewhere to start. I don¡¯t know if my death was related to my family, but I¡¯ve got no leads, and I can always walk away if I don¡¯t find anything.

    Her guts twisted around in her belly, but her intuition was impossible to ignore. If my mother was a bad person to her own children, she likely was shitty to someone else, too.

    ¡°Daphne?¡± Maggie¡¯s voice asked in her cellphone, bringing Daphne back down to Earth.

    ¡°Sorry, what did you say?¡± she asked, not even trying to feign that she had been paying attention to her sister.

    Maggie huffed a little at her. ¡°I asked if you would be willing to text Mom your answer,¡± she said.

    ¡°Yep, I¡¯ll text her that I¡¯ll be there,¡± Daphne said.

    Maggie gasped through the phone. ¡°You¡¯re going to go?¡± she asked. ¡°Why? Why would you subjugate yourself to our mother¡¯s painful world again?¡±

    I should be dead. I¡¯ve spent my whole life running away from everything, only to die unhappy and alone. Just like the twelve-year-old child I was getting screamed at by Mother, I just curled up into a ball and let myself be trampled to death.

    ¡°Well,¡± Daphne said, trying to keep her voice sounding optimistic. ¡°I think I have some unfinished business with Mom.¡±

    The phone call fell silent. Finally, Maggie said, ¡°I understand.¡± She sighed. ¡°Just remember that Mom fights dirty, okay? I don¡¯t want to see you get hurt.¡±

    Daphne couldn¡¯t help but chuckle a little. ¡°I know,¡± she said. ¡°But don¡¯t worry too much. I don¡¯t intend to attack Mom. Directly, at least.¡±

    Maggie paused again. ¡°Okay,¡± she said, sounding hesitant. ¡°Well then, let me know if you need any help with anything. Otherwise, I¡¯ll see you this weekend.¡±

    ¡°See you this weekend,¡± Daphne said before hanging up the phone.

    Tanpopo had long since left her, but the tears his warmth had caused were still damp on her face. She wiped them away, and felt something inside of her strengthen in a way it never had before.

    This time I will be happy. I swear it.

 Chapter 29

    Daphne ran her fingers through her long black hair, letting out a heavy sigh. If I take a lunch break today, I¡¯m screwed. I probably won¡¯t get all of this done today even if I skip lunch.

    She chewed on the inside of her lower lip, looking at Asher¡¯s out of office status on the instant messenger. If only Asher was here today and not having to travel for the stupid project we have together. I¡¯ve already offloaded a few things to Holly and Landon. It probably would have been easier if Asher had been able to take some too.

    How did I ever survive this before? She was doing everything she could to keep herself focused on the work in front of her. No wonder I was completely miserable and alone.

    She worked, without paying much attention to the clock, and before she knew it, she was looking at her computer clock and noticing that it was a quarter to noon. She glanced over her to-do list for the day. She¡¯d barely put a dent in it despite her best, ongoing efforts.

    Her stomach rumbled, telling her she absolutely needed to eat. She shook her head at it. I don¡¯t have time to eat. At this rate, I¡¯m going to be here until eight this evening. Daphne sighed. Maggie¡¯s words about the number of extra hours she was working in a week echoed in her mind.

    I¡¯ll just skip lunch and finish up the majority of these small little tasks that shouldn¡¯t take me too long. She felt her heart clench and tighten as she looked over the sheer number of little, quick, small tasks she had to get done. I¡¯ll probably have to keep working on some of these during my meetings.

    Daphne heard some snickering in the cubicle next to her, and glance over and noticed that Rose, Landon¡¯s now ex-girlfriend, was sitting in the cubicle whispering to Fiona. It took all of Daphne¡¯s power not to roll her eyes at them. How awkward for Landon. He broke up with her and she keeps showing up at his workplace.

    A couple of minutes later, she heard a bunch of commotion starting near the elevator. A lot of gasps and excited noises, as well as a few claps. Do these people not understand that this is supposed to be a workplace? She rubbed her forehead, trying to think of the way to word the next sentence of the email she was writing. She glanced down at the clock and saw that it was three minutes to noon. I guess it¡¯s at least almost lunchtime.

    Whatever seemed to have caused the excitement was creating a ripple through the office. Daphne let out a sigh, wishing she had remembered to grab her noise cancelling earbuds that morning. I hope whatever it is, it doesn¡¯t cause a stir for too long. She hit send on the email and crossed it off her to-do list.

    She felt a finger tap on her shoulder and stiffened at the contact. Who¡­?

    ¡°Daphne,¡± Kimberly Woods¡¯ voice said behind her.

    A shiver ran down Daphne¡¯s spine. What the fuck is she doing here? She had to force herself to have an impassive face. Son of a¡­! Were those people gasping at my mother walking through the office?

    Daphne swallowed hard. Even though she¡¯d hated that Gary had recognized her as Kimberly Woods¡¯ daughter, Daphne hadn¡¯t been able to blame him for it. Her mother had done everything in her power to ensure the whole city would recognize her, and her ¡°perfect family,¡± children and all. Recognition had been everywhere they went.

    Daphne squeezed her eyes shut, wishing the floor would just swallow her up. She opened her eyes and noticed that there were several people staring in her direction. All of the people in the office were people she had hoped would never know that she was her mother¡¯s daughter. Every time she had lied and told her coworkers that she wasn¡¯t related to Kimberly, Daphne had justified it by saying she wanted to be treated fairly by her peers. All of that was crumbling to dust in front of her eyes at that very moment.

    Daphne felt her stomach drop. Being involved with my mother is an enormous mistake. How could I have forgotten? All I¡¯ve wanted is to live with some kind of level of anonymity.

    She felt her mother¡¯s finger tap on her shoulder again. ¡°Daphne?¡± Kimberly asked, her voice ultra motherly and concerned.

    She really is putting the honey in her act for all of these people to see, isn¡¯t she? Daphne bit her tongue. I have no choice but to respond.

    Daphne plastered a bright smile on her face, doing everything she could to stamp out the sinking feeling. She turned around.

    ¡°Oh, Mom!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°What a surprise! I didn¡¯t expect you to come visit me at work!¡±

    I specifically warned you against visiting me at work when I got this job, she added silently. Internally, she was fighting hard to keep the lid on her contempt. Of course, you wouldn¡¯t remember that I said that, or respect my wishes, though.

    Her mother looked visibly relieved and then overjoyed at her daughter¡¯s response to her presence. Daphne had to hold back a grimace, and her smile twitched in the process.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you surprised?¡± Kimberly asked, a bright grin on her face. ¡°I thought you might be excited to have your mother visit you at work after our heart-to-heart last night!¡±

    Daphne¡¯s ears started ringing as she was aware of the number of eyes on her. She gulped, knowing a single mistake could result in social suicide. Heart-to-heart? She held back a cringe. Last night was anything but a heart-to-heart.

    ¡°I am excited to see you,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°Though, admittedly, I would have appreciated a heads up about your visit. I have a really busy day today.¡± The corners of Daphne¡¯s smile were starting to tug downwards, and she fought with them, doing her best to keep the smile plastered onto her face. She could hardly think from the effort it took.

    ¡°Are you too busy to have lunch with your mother?¡± Kimberly asked, pouting, and appearing to be doing her best to look cute and sad simultaneously.

    Daphne glanced back at her to-do list. I¡¯m too busy to even go get lunch by myself! Let alone go and get lunch with someone I¡¯d rather not spend time with!

    Daphne looked back at her mother, and saw the look of disappointment beginning to cloud her mother¡¯s face and eyes. Still, Daphne could feel the attention of her co-workers focused on the exchange between her and her mother. There are too many eyes. If I reject her right here, right now, I¡¯m going to have the reputation of a horrible daughter who rejected her famous, angelic, mother.

    She bit down hard on the inside of her cheeks, tasting a bit of blood. ¡°No, I¡¯m never too busy for my mother,¡± Daphne lied, swallowing bile at the words that came out.

    A grin blossomed across her mother¡¯s face. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so excited!¡± she squealed, bouncing on the balls of her feet. ¡°I found so many good restaurants around her that I¡¯m excited to show you!¡±

    ¡°Let me see what I have this afternoon,¡± Daphne said, turning back to her computer and looking at her schedule. She prayed that she¡¯d have an after lunch meeting just so she could get away from her mother. She did, in fact, have a meeting right after lunch. ¡°I have to be back before one for a meeting,¡± Daphne said, turning back to her mother.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s no fun!¡± her mother exclaimed. ¡°Is there any chance you can postpone it?¡±

    Of course, this woman who lived as a parasite off my dad for decades and never held a real job in her life would ask such a worthless question. Daphne had to fight back a scowl.

    ¡°Unfortunately, I cannot,¡± Daphne replied firmly.

    Kimberly sighed, annoyed. ¡°Well, I guess we better hurry then,¡± she said.

    ¡°Guess so,¡± Daphne replied, turning back to lock her work computer. As she did, she noticed a message from Holly coming through.

    Holy shit!! Your mom is Kimberly Woods?!

    The pit that had been forming in Daphne¡¯s stomach grew at seeing her friend¡¯s message. I¡¯ll have to deal with the fallout from this later. She donned her jacket. For now, I just have to focus on surviving through this lunch.

    Her mother gestured for Daphne to follow her, and Daphne did.

    ~

    Everywhere she goes, someone recognizes her. Daphne saw the stars in the server¡¯s eyes as they put down food in front of both her and her mother. She really proved Dad wrong. Daphne started cutting into her baked potato. Apparently, gardeners can be <u>really</u> famous.

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Even just a quick glance around the restaurant revealed people who were paying attention to them or sneakily taking pictures of her mother. I know she put in the work in this community to be recognizable, but this has gone beyond even that. Even the hostess who sat us down knew my mother¡¯s name.

    Daphne chewed her food. I had forgotten about this one aspect of going out anywhere with her. Things really changed when she made national news. Daphne shook her head. And Mom usually wants to go out as a whole family, and Cy¡¯s business being successful makes him even more recognizable than Mom.

    Daphne¡¯s stomach rolled around uncomfortably as she met her mother¡¯s bright blue eyes. I always feel so small around my family.

    ¡°So, Daphne,¡± her mother said after delicately swallowing a spoonful of soup. Despite the fact that they had walked to the restaurant, her mother¡¯s hair was perfect and sleek, just as it always was.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Daphne asked.

    ¡°Do you enjoy working your job? It seems very constraining and¡­rigid.¡±

    Daphne fought the urge to roll her eyes and instead looked at her sandwich. ¡°I do enjoy it,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°The money is good, and the work is fairly easy. I don¡¯t mind the constraints so much.¡± She took a bite of her sandwich.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised,¡± Kimberly replied, her bright eyes widening. ¡°I figured you would hate that kind of thing.¡±

    That¡¯s because <u>you</u> hate that kind of thing. Daphne swallowed and ran a napkin over her lips.

    ¡°It¡¯s not so bad,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°But I have been thinking about finding a new job lately to see if I can find one that doesn¡¯t overload me.¡±

    Kimberly¡¯s eyes sparkled at the information.

    Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have added that last bit.

    ¡°Do you need any help finding a new job?¡± Kimberly asked her. ¡°Do you want me to ask around and see if Cy or any of my friends has a position or could make a position for you?¡±

    Daphne waved her hands at her mother¡¯s comment. ¡°No, that¡¯s perfectly fine, I don¡¯t need anything like that,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°I¡¯m still only thinking about it so I¡¯m not really sure what I¡¯m going to do yet or not.¡± She forced a smile at her mother. Kimberly was nearly smirking at her daughter.

    The last thing I want is to owe this woman anything. I don¡¯t need to feel more obligated than I already do.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Kimberly consented. ¡°But if you end up deciding that you do want to change jobs, let me know. I am happy to help you find something.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Daphne said with a small nod. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know if I need help.¡±

    Which I¡¯ll never need from you, she added silently.

    Kimberly sighed, smiling and stabbing her food with her fork. ¡°So, what else is new in your life since we last caught up?¡± she asked. ¡°It¡¯s been so long, I¡¯m sure things have changed quite a bit.¡±

    Daphne knew her mother was correct. The last time they had really talked was two years ago at her father¡¯s funeral. At that time, Daphne had been working the same job, living in the same apartment, and single. Daphne and her mother¡¯s relationship had barely been hanging on by a thread in the days leading up to her father¡¯s funeral, and the thread had snapped as soon as Daphne had been admonished about bringing the wrong flowers, and how her mother had behaved for the duration of the funeral. Her mother hadn¡¯t even cried throughout the entire service, which Daphne had known was a testament to how terrible her parents relationship had been in those last days of her father¡¯s life.

    It''s funny how it¡¯s been so long that, ultimately, nothing has changed at all.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing,¡± Daphne answered, pursing her lips.

    Kimberly gave Daphne a dirty look. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me,¡± she said. ¡°Surely things have changed since then.¡±

    ¡°They have,¡± Daphne agreed with a nod. ¡°But they also came full circle. So in the end, there is nothing new.¡±

    Kimberly tsked at her daughter. ¡°So you mean to tell me that you¡¯re not in a serious relationship yet?¡± she asked.

    Daphne¡¯s heart sank. This is not something I want to talk about with my mother.

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Daphne confirmed, pressing her lips into a fine line.

    Kimberly sighed, her features filled with disappointment in her daughter. ¡°Why not?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯re already twenty-six years old.¡±

    Daphne flinched. Though she was willing to give her mother the benefit of the doubt and assume that Kimberly¡¯s words were not intended to sting, they did, nonetheless.

    ¡°Do you know how hard it is to find a quality man?¡± Daphne shot back, unable to cover up her annoyance.

    Her mother cocked her head to the side and narrowed her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s because most of them found a woman when they were Oliver¡¯s age,¡± she replied sharply.

    The words smarted, even a bit more than her mother¡¯s previous words. There might be a granule of truth to her statement. Even Landon is younger than me.

    ¡°I was dealing with the death of my father when I was Ollie¡¯s age,¡± Daphne replied sharply, gritting her teeth.

    She probably won¡¯t give two shits about how much I suffered through that.

    Kimberly shrugged, nonchalant about Daphne¡¯s comment while Daphne¡¯s hands curled up into fists. ¡°I can ask around to my friends who have sons,¡± Kimberly said with a bit of a smirky smile on her face. ¡°And see if I could find you a blind date.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s skin crawled. She knew a couple of her mother¡¯s friend¡¯s sons. They weren¡¯t exactly serious relationship material, let alone future marriage material.

    I don¡¯t want to owe her for any reason. She studied her mother¡¯s face closely. And she¡¯s trying to find any possible way to worm her way back into my life, isn¡¯t she?

    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Daphne replied, pulling herself back together. She pulled back in her chair, doing her best to force her body language to come off as less defensive. ¡°I don¡¯t need your help.¡±

    ¡°You sure don¡¯t seem to like help at all,¡± Kimberly replied, her smile contorting a bit into a sneer. ¡°If you don¡¯t accept help from your own family, who do you expect to be able to rely on?¡±

    Daphne nearly laughed out loud. Asher, Landon and Holly came to mind, all whom she was learning how to ask for help from. ¡°I have people I can trust,¡± Daphne replied firmly.

    Daphne picked up her water glass and took a drink. ¡°I just hope you find someone before you¡¯re old and fat,¡± Kimberly replied, rolling her eyes at Daphne.

    What the fuck? Daphne finished swallowing the water she had drank from her glass. Much to her chagrin, she started choking on the last bit of it.

    Coughing, Daphne stood to leave. I will not tolerate this kind of behavior from her. She cleared her throat. She really never changes does she?

    ¡°Are you leaving?¡± Kimberly asked, as Daphne started smacking her sternum. ¡°Just because I made that one comment?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Daphne croaked with a nod.

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Kimberly said, reaching up and grabbing the sleeve of Daphne¡¯s jacket. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have said that. It was rude of me.¡±

    More than just rude. Daphne could feel the eyes on them and the spectacle she and her mother were creating in the restaurant.

    ¡°I won¡¯t say anything like that ever again,¡± Kimberly pleaded.

    Liar.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t go,¡± her mother continued, sounding more desperate than Daphne thought she actually was.

    No matter what I do, this situation plays into her hands. If I leave, she¡¯s the sympathetic mother whose daughter hates her, and if I stay, she¡¯s a good mother who knows how to apologize to her children.

    Slowly, Daphne lowered herself into her seat. ¡°Thank you for staying,¡± Kimberly said, her tone mildly disappointed.

    Daphne cleared her throat. ¡°What about you?¡± she asked, her voice scratchy. ¡°What has changed for you in the past couple of years?¡±

    ¡°Well, right now I¡¯m working on pricing out about how much it would cost me to build a greenhouse in the side yard,¡± Kimberly replied, her eyes glazing over as if she was looking off into the distance. ¡°It¡¯s almost winter, the worst season for gardening. It¡¯s almost unbearable these days, because I have so little to do.¡± She chuckled a little. ¡°Gardening is my whole life now, and the winter months are especially horrible because of that.¡±

    Daphne nodded. Mother did always hope that someday she¡¯d be able to afford a greenhouse. I just always assumed it would be my dad who built it for her.

    ¡°What about a new boyfriend?¡± Daphne asked, recalling her conversation with Maggie about how Viola had seen their mother with a man in their house.

    I suppose it could be the person who is going to help her build the greenhouse. Viola is only a kid after all¡­

    ¡°Oh, heavens no,¡± Kimberly replied, off to the side and not meeting Daphne¡¯s eyes. Kimberly chewed on her lower lip. ¡°I could never replace your dad.¡±

    She¡¯s lying! Every part of Daphne screamed. She only bites her lip when she¡¯s hiding something. What is going on here?

    ¡°What about Viola?¡± Daphne asked. ¡°How is she doing?¡±

    Kimberly gave Daphne another dirty look. ¡°Viola is doing fantastic!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°So well that she just came in first place in a local art contest.¡±

    ¡°Oh wow! That¡¯s incredible!¡± Daphne replied, clasping her hands together.

    ¡°And Magnolia seems to be under the impression that Viola is doing much worse than she actually is,¡± Kimberly said with a haughty sniff. ¡°You know what she told me the other day?¡± she asked. ¡°She said that Viola is seriously depressed and needs professional help. Ha!¡± Kimberly let out a sarcastic laugh. ¡°My little angel has hardly ever been better. One of her other pieces of artwork is going to be competing in a state level competition. It is only a matter of time before Viola is winning national level competitions. And Magnolia has the nerve to suggest she¡¯s depressed.¡±

    Daphne felt her eyes go wide. I guess Maggie no longer had a choice and had to tell Mother about Viola¡¯s therapy. It does not sound like it went well.

    ¡°I don¡¯t where Magnolia got this inane idea that Viola is unhappy,¡± Kimberly continued, sighing and rubbing her forehead. ¡°I thought I had raised her better than this, but it appears she¡¯s fallen into delusions, regardless.¡±

    Daphne swallowed hard. She really hasn¡¯t changed at all. I don¡¯t want to be a part of this conversation that is only going to find a way to bite me in the ass in the future.

    Daphne looked down at the watch on her wrist, trying to be discreet while her mother prattled on about her older sister.

    Thank God. Daphne¡¯s body loosened upon seeing the time Saved by the bell.

    ¡°Sorry to interrupt,¡± Daphne said, talking over mother a bit. Kimberly scowled, but it didn¡¯t seem to be too grave of an offense. ¡°I actually have to get back to the office for my meeting,¡± Daphne said.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right!¡± Kimberly replied, clasping her hands together. ¡°You should definitely get going then.¡± She was smiling pleasantly now, which released some of the tension in Daphne¡¯s chest.

    ¡°Thank you for lunch,¡± Daphne said, standing up and putting on her coat.

    ¡°Oh, it was my pleasure,¡± Kimberly replied, her grin, somehow brightening further. ¡°I hope we¡¯ll get to do more of this in the future.¡±

    ¡°I hope so, too,¡± Daphne lied. She grabbed her purse.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the bill, sweetheart. I¡¯ll pay for it.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Daphne replied, feeling her guts twist around.

    ¡°See you at dinner on Saturday.¡±

    ¡°See you then,¡± Daphne replied, forcing a smile. She turned to exit through the restaurant¡¯s door, whipping out her phone as she walked.

    Hey, she texted Maggie. Just wanted to let you know that Mom¡¯s talking crap about you with the whole Viola situation.

    A few moments later, Maggie had texted her back. Thanks for the heads up, she¡¯d said.

 Chapter 30

    Daphne ran her fingers through her fluffy black strands, tugging a little. What the hell am I going to do? She leaned back in her chair and threw her head up so that she was facing the ceiling. It hadn¡¯t even been twenty-four hours yet since her mother had come to the office, and nearly all of her co-workers were treating her differently, save for Fiona who was somehow treating her worse. Trevor, who had just dumped a few more small projects on top of Daphne¡¯s already overflowing plate, was the only one who seemed to be treating her the same.

    I didn¡¯t work late last night. I didn¡¯t come in early this morning, and I don¡¯t intend to stay late tonight. I¡¯m already behind on all of the other work I had¡­

    Daphne shifted, putting her arms on her desk and putting her head in her hands. This is impossible. Her chest squeezed tightly. How was I able to deal with this before? Why did I just work so hard for so little?

    She let out a heavy sigh. She had already talked to a couple of the teams she was supporting earlier that morning about how she may not be able to get things done by the deadlines they had requested her to. They had been disappointed, but were understanding, and she had been grateful of their willingness to extend her deadlines.

    What am I going to do now? Tears stung her eyes. Do I really have no choice except to work long hours for the same pay and no respect?

    She shook her head, still holding it in her hands. I¡¯ve just got to keep looking for a new job. I¡¯ll dedicate some time to it this weekend again, because I can¡¯t do this anymore.

    The offer her mother had made her at lunch the day before came to mind. She chewed on her lip, feeling tempted. No, I can¡¯t. If I do that, I¡¯ll never be able to walk away from Mother again, regardless of how I feel. She swallowed hard, knowing that if her mother had been less of a difficult person, she would have been letting a good opportunity slip by. Under no circumstances will I ask Mother for assistance, she promised herself. I can¡¯t let her have that kind of power over me again.

    Daphne heard the notification sound for the work instant messenger on her computer. It was a message from Holly. Do you have time for drinks after work?

    Daphne gritted her teeth together. It¡¯s not like I can ask Holly or Landon for help either. They are already helping me a lot. She couldn¡¯t help but audibly groan a bit. And I¡¯m sure Holly will want to talk about my mother after work.

    Daphne pursed her lips, unsure of what to say or what to do. It¡¯s so difficult to talk to anyone about my mother before they know who she is. They hardly believe the stories I have <u>before</u> knowing that I¡¯m talking about Kimberly Woods. As soon as they find out who I¡¯m talking about, then all of the sudden <u>I</u> look like the crazy one.

    She sighed, swinging in her chair. But what if Holly is the friend who finally believes me? She let out a small laugh. I just wish she would be the first one to believe me. So many ¡°friends¡± before have taken my mother¡¯s side in the past. So, at this point, it¡¯s really me who ought to know better.

    Still, her heart was jumping around excitedly at the prospect that Holly might believe her stories for once. I guess it¡¯s a quick litmus test to see how close of friends we might be able to be. Plus a drink sounds great with how this day is going so far.

    Daphne turned back to her computer. That sounds good to me, she replied, hitting enter and sending the message off to Holly.

    She looked down at the folders Trevor had given her for the new, small, projects he had assigned to her. Now how to figure out how to take all of this on. Her eyes pricked again.

    ¡°Daphne, hey,¡± a warm voice said behind her, whilst knocking on the wall of her cubicle.

    She whirled around, already knowing who it was going to be standing there, and met the brown eyes of Asher. Shit. I really didn¡¯t want him to see me like this.

    She did her best to smooth her hair as she said, ¡°Asher. How can I help you?¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± he said again, a lopsided smile appearing on his face. ¡°I was curious if you¡¯d have some time to debrief from the trip I took yesterday for the project we¡¯re working on together?¡±

    Daphne¡¯s eyes stung even more, and she had to blink rapidly to force her tears to retreat at least a little bit. When she met Asher¡¯s eyes again, he appeared to be studying her face closely.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked her.

    She bit down on her bottom lip as her tears threatened again to spring forth and overwhelm her. If I talk now, I¡¯m going to cry.

    Asher turned and pulled up a chair, seeming to intuitively know that she was unable to respond to his question without completely falling apart.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    As Asher pulled himself into her cubicle, sitting where, up until recently, Landon had been sitting, Daphne caught a whiff of his clean, laundry soap scent. She cleared her throat in hopes of actually being able to get a few words out.

    ¡°Not really,¡± she answered in a froggy voice. ¡°My sister recently pointed out to me how many extra hours a week I¡¯ve been working, and I didn¡¯t realize it was so much.¡± She cleared her throat again, as it was trying to close up on her once more. ¡°I¡¯m already overwhelmed and falling behind as a result of cutting back on my extra hours, and Trevor just assigned me even more to take care of.¡± She gestured to the folders in front of Asher.

    She had to stop talking. She knew she was going to cry in front of this man if she kept going, and it was definitely not the impression she was hoping to make on him.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Asher said, grimacing. ¡°Did you tell Trevor that you don¡¯t have time for anything additional?¡±

    Daphne shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember in the team meeting a few weeks ago? He told me to only say ¡®yes, sir,¡¯ going forward.¡±

    Asher¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°What the hell is he doing?¡± he murmured softly to himself. He looked back over at Daphne, who was barely hanging onto her emotions by a thread. ¡°First, let¡¯s take a couple of deep breaths together,¡± he said. He nodded. ¡°Then tell me more about these projects so we can see about finding someone else to take them for you, okay?¡±

    Daphne nodded, taking a few, shaky deep breaths to help calm her emotions. It at least worked enough to calm down the tide of tears that was threatening to spill out.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Asher said, his warm eyes meeting hers, with a small smile. ¡°Tell me about the work, including the scope of the responsibilities.¡±

    Daphne nodded, her heart starting to pick up the pace now that she was calmer. He¡¯s so close. And his lips¡­

    She perished the thought and the image from her mind by grabbing the folders off her desk and pulling open the materials that Trevor had explained to her. She did her best to highlight to Asher the same things that Trevor had highlighted to her, looking up at him as she was going along, and meeting his eyes. He nodded along with her, and she noticed that she seemed far more distracted by his presence than he seemed by hers.

    Her heart sunk into her chest. I¡¯m not even ready for a new relationship anytime soon, anyway, she chided herself. I have bigger things to worry about.

    ¡°And that¡¯s it,¡± Daphne concluded, shutting the last folder.

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Asher asked, raising his eyebrows.

    Daphne felt her stomach churn at his reaction. He must think I¡¯m ridiculous for not being able to take these little projects on. I wish he hadn¡¯t seen me so ready to cry.

    Asher sighed and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Trevor is thinking, assigning additional work to you when you¡¯re already so busy. Especially things like this that the new guy could easily handle.¡± He pointed over at Landon¡¯s cubicle.

    Daphne gulped. ¡°I was going to ask Landon,¡± she lied.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take them,¡± Asher replied, interrupting the rest of Daphne¡¯s thoughts. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed up and down as he said the words.

    Daphne felt herself biting her lip, and having to turn away from Asher so she didn¡¯t look at his lips again. ¡°You¡¯ll take them?¡± she asked. ¡°But you just said that Landon could do them.¡±

    ¡°He could,¡± Asher replied, as Daphne began shuffling papers back into the folders they came from.

    Anything to not look at his face right now.

    ¡°But I also know you¡¯re already offloading work onto him, and these are small enough that I can easily handle them.¡±

    Daphne stopped shuffling the papers and looked back up at Asher¡¯s face. He had been watching her as she¡¯d been trying to distract herself.

    ¡°You¡¯re already doing so much for me,¡± she pointed out to him. She searched his eyes, inquiring in them for the reason he was also helping her.

    He was nothing like this before. I don¡¯t know if I ever even talked to him before I came back to the past. What changed?

    Asher shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m helping you with that one big project, but I know you¡¯re asking for help from some people on a daily basis. I don¡¯t mind helping out when I can.¡±

    Daphne swallowed hard. ¡°Then I guess I will leave them in your capable hands,¡± she said, handing him the folders and finally breaking eye contact with him, not having found the reason for his assistance. ¡°Thank you,¡± she added.

    ¡°My pleasure,¡± he replied with a soft smile. ¡°Now onto the other project. You still have time, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Let me check,¡± Daphne replied, swinging her chair around to look at her calendar. ¡°I still  have fifteen minutes till my next appointment,¡± she said.

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Asher replied. ¡°I won¡¯t need more than that.¡±

    Daphne turned to look at him as he walked her through what he had learned in his day long trip all over the state. She did her best to take notes as he was speaking, but she kept getting distracted. He talks a lot with his hands. She scribbled down a few of the design constraints that he mentioned. His hands are also enormous.

    She had to purse her lips in an effort to concentration on his words rather than his presence and his body.

    ¡°That¡¯s all I really learned,¡± he said. ¡°It sounds as though this is going to be a long, complex project, so I suspect I will have to go on a couple more trips before we¡¯ll really understand all of the pieces of this work.¡±

    Daphne nodded. ¡°Makes sense to me,¡± she said. ¡°Thanks for the update.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Asher replied with his warm smile. His eyes seemed to be searching hers the same way she had searched his only a little while earlier. Her heart skipped a beat.

    Don¡¯t, she warned her heart and herself.

    ¡°Would you be available for lunch, Daphne?¡± he asked.

    The sound of her name in his mouth was enough to make her stomach do flip flops. She had to break eye contact from him again to keep her emotions in check. Thankfully, she had an excuse, to check her calendar, even though she knew damn well she¡¯d find a way to have lunch with him even if she wasn¡¯t available.

    She pretended to look at her to-do list as well in hopes of trying to delay the answer enough to calm her pounding heart.

    ¡°I think I can make that work,¡± she replied, turning back to him with a small smile on her face.

    ¡°Excellent,¡± he replied, a wide smile gracing his face. ¡°Then, I will see you for lunch.¡± He stood up and started pulling the chair out of her cubicle.

    ¡°See you then,¡± she replied. She turned back to her computer, her heart thundering in her chest.

    It¡¯s probably nothing. I¡¯m probably reading too much into his intention.

    Still, she could not ignore the light of hope that had lit in her chest.

 Chapter 31

    Ah haha¡­ Daphne felt one of her eyes twitch. What is this? She looked around the crowded sandwich shop that Asher had brought her to. Her heart sunk in her chest. He must really only see me as a co-worker if he asked me to lunch only to take me to a fast-food sandwich shop.

    ¡°Pick whatever you want,¡± Asher said, the warm smile still on his face. ¡°I¡¯ll buy.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to pay for me,¡± Daphne replied with a tight smile, her stomach swirling.

    Did I read the situation wrong?

    ¡°Well, ladies first, anyway,¡± Asher said, gesturing for her to step in front of him to order first. She complied, knowing that she probably wouldn¡¯t be able to convince him to go first.

    She walked up to the cashier and placed her order. As she was finishing up, Asher came up behind her and told the cashier to add on his sandwich and that he would pay for both. The cashier did as she was told, and Daphne turned and gave Asher a dirty look. He just smirked back at her.

    I don¡¯t know what to make of him. Her heart skipped a beat as their eyes met for a brief moment before Asher paid. One thing is for sure though. Asher is not what I expected him to be. She shook her head at herself, sighing as she walked to the area where their orders would come out when they were ready. I shouldn¡¯t even be thinking like this anyway. I need to pay attention to other things!

    Asher walked up and stood next to her. ¡°We¡¯re order number fifty-three,¡± he said, waving the receipt in front of her. She nodded as she barely caught a glance of the number on the sheet.

    ¡°Thanks for buying me lunch,¡± she said. ¡°Though, admittedly, I feel like I owe you more than you owe me. I guess that just means I¡¯ll have to buy lunch for you next time.¡±

    Asher let out a little laugh. ¡°That sounds like an okay deal to me,¡± he said with a grin brightening his face. ¡°How long do you have for lunch today anyway?¡± he asked, changing the subject. ¡°You told me you were free, but not for how long, so I picked something that is supposed to be fast so that you would get a chance to sit and eat before you had to go back to the office.¡±

    Daphne felt her cheeks heating up. Oh. I guess he was thinking of my schedule.

    ¡°I have the full hour,¡± she replied, looking down at her watch and noticing that it was already a quarter after noon.

    ¡°Oh good,¡± Asher replied, relief coloring his features. ¡°You¡¯ll get a chance to eat then.¡± She glanced up at him, and her heart skipped a beat as their eyes met. He had a warm smile on his face.

    ¡°I will,¡± she replied, breaking the eye contact between them. Her stomach flip flopped inside of her.

    Is it possible? Am I truly alone in this attraction, or is it possible he feels the same way?

    ¡°Order number fifty-three!¡± the server person shouted, and Daphne shuffled up to grab the bag of sandwiches and the two fountain soda cups for their order.

    ¡°Here,¡± Asher said as she walked back over to him. ¡°I¡¯ll take the sandwiches and you get your soda. Sound good?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± she replied, handing him the requested items. Her finger grazed his hand, and it sent sparks down her arm. She held her hand steady.

    If I flinch, he¡¯ll know.

    ¡°See you in a moment, then,¡± Asher said with a nod.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she replied, walking over to the soda machine. She quickly picked out a fruity drink that sounded good, snapped the lid on her cup, and turned to see that Asher had chosen a cozy little two-person table in the back corner of the restaurant. Her heart skipped a beat and she let out an audible gulp.

    We¡¯ll be so close. And I won¡¯t have a choice but to look at his face. Maybe getting lunch with him was a bad idea¡­ She paused, realizing she couldn¡¯t run away either. It¡¯s not like I can escape this situation. She walked across the space between them, taking sips of her soda and trying to steady her heart.

    He stood up as he saw her coming. She smiled at him as she sat down and he nodded, leaving to go get his own soda.

    Oh my God. She started wringing her hands. I know I said yes to eating lunch with him, but I¡¯m not sure how I¡¯m going to make it through this meal. She gnawed on her bottom lip. What was the reason he asked me to lunch in the first place? Does he have more to tell me about the project?

    She shook her head at herself and began to unwrap the sandwich in front of her. I need to eat food. I¡¯ll probably feel better after I do.

    Asher came up and placed his cup down on the table, and got into his seat, bumping her knee in the process. The sensation sent sparks throughout her whole body, and she had to suppress a shiver.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said with his lopsided smile.

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    ¡°No problem,¡± she replied, leaning back into her seat and pulling her legs back with her.

    He doesn¡¯t seem fazed at all. She studied his face closely while taking another sip of her soda. Maybe it really is a one-way attraction.

    Daphne cleared her throat, looking down at her sandwich, trying to distract herself from her thoughts. ¡°So, uh,¡± she said, grabbing her sandwich. ¡°Why did you ask to have lunch with me?¡± she asked. She put her sandwich and took an enormous bite.

    Realizing what she had done, she felt the blood rushing to her cheeks again. Hopefully he doesn¡¯t think I¡¯m unattractive based on the way I eat.

    ¡°Well,¡± Asher said, dabbing his lips with a napkin and then meeting her eyes. ¡°I had a question I wanted to ask you.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s stomach dropped. Oh my god.

    Noticing that she was unable to talk because she was still working through her large bite, he hesitated a bit and then decided to just go forth with the question anyway.

    ¡°Is your mother Kimberly Woods?¡± he asked.

    Daphne nearly spit out her food at his words, and then swallowed wrong, starting a coughing fit.

    She noticed that Asher¡¯s face went from curious to concerned as she tried to stifle her coughs, and her embarrassment, while simultaneously clearing her throat enough to reply.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Asher asked, as her coughing fit started to decline.

    Daphne nodded at him before grabbing her soda and taking a huge gulp of it to help calm the tickle in her throat.

    Great. She coughed a few more times after the soda had cleared most of the debris. Not only does he know who my mother is, but I¡¯ve also made a complete fool out of myself in front of him.

    ¡°How do you know?¡± she asked in her froggy. She coughed a couple more times after asking the question. Her voice box didn¡¯t seem to be ready for her to talk quite yet.

    She grabbed her soda again and took another big gulp, noticing Asher¡¯s eyebrows were still raised at her.

    She gave him a thumbs up and he nodded. ¡°My sister Rose was at the office yesterday visiting Fiona, and she overheard and saw Kimberly Woods coming in and claiming to be your mother,¡± he said.

    Daphne let out a heavy sigh. I totally forgot Rose is his sister. Of course he would know who my mother is.

    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s my mom,¡± Daphne replied, pursing her lips and nodding. ¡°I kept it a secret in the office because it¡¯s not something I like to share.¡±

    Asher nodded rapidly, his face suggesting he understood where she was coming from. ¡°I thought you might be the same Daphne Woods,¡± he said.

    Daphne furrowed her brow, unsure what Asher could possibly mean by the comment. ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°Have we met before or something?¡±

    He nodded with a small smile on his face. ¡°The great gardener Vivian Hawthorne is my mother.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s eyebrows shot up, probably nearly to her hairline. ¡°What?¡± she asked, trying to keep her mouth from staying agape.

    Shit. This is¡­not good.

    ¡°You¡¯re the son of my mother¡¯s arch nemesis?¡± she asked with a gasp, trying to keep her true feelings under wraps.

    Asher grinned and let out a little laugh. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± he replied. His expression morphed into a smirk. ¡°It¡¯s pretty amazing that both Vivian Hawthorne and Kimberly Woods lived in such a small city¡­basically in the middle of nowhere.¡±

    Daphne let out a laugh that even she knew sounded fake. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s pretty crazy isn¡¯t it?¡± she asked. Underneath the table, she started wringing her hands together again.

    We literally moved her because mother wanted to <u>be</u> Vivian Hawthorne. It is no coincidence that two great gardeners live here.

    ¡°It really is,¡± Asher agreed, showing his toothy smile. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering all this time why you looked so familiar. It must be because I remember seeing you and all of your siblings at all those gardening contests years ago,¡± he said.

    Daphne¡¯s heart skipped a beat. I¡¯m not sure if I like that he remembers me.

    ¡°Do you remember playing with Rose and I on the playground merry-go-round?¡± Asher asked.

    Daphne squinted, searching through the memories of her childhood. ¡°Maybe?¡± she replied.

    ¡°Ah, what a shame,¡± Asher said with a sad smile. ¡°I figured you would remember that.¡±

    Daphne wasn¡¯t entirely sure what ¡°that¡± was but did her best to smile along with Asher anyways.

    Something about Vivian Hawthrone¡¯s family and life tugged at the back of her memory. Kimberly had often gone on obsessive rants about the woman, and how Kimberly herself was doing everything she could for her children so that they could live as well off as the Hawthorne¡¯s.

    Daphne¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wait a second,¡± she said. ¡°If you¡¯re Vivian Hawthorne¡¯s son, doesn¡¯t that mean your dad owns a really big company or somethin¡ª¡± Her sentence was cut off by Asher putting his hand across her mouth. Daphne¡¯s heart started racing.

    Would he really be able to touch my lips so easily if he was attracted to me?

    ¡°Ssh,¡± Asher whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone that. Ever. Please?¡± He genuinely looked desperate, the same way that Daphne had been desperate to keep the identity of her mother a secret.

    Daphne nodded, and he removed his hand from her face, the shadow of his touch still causing Daphne¡¯s heart to beat wildly.

    ¡°Swear you won¡¯t tell anyone?¡± Asher asked, holding out his pinky with a pouty look on his face.

    Daphne took his pinky with her own, interlocking the two together, causing her heart to start pumping even more. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t say anything,¡± she replied. He released his pinky from hers with a sharp nod. ¡°But,¡± she added. ¡°You should definitely be careful about how much Rose visits Fiona then. Her behavior and attitude may be what reveals your secret to the whole office.¡±

    Asher nodded. ¡°I know,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to connive her to stop coming to the office so much since Fiona is supposed to be working anyway¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°It¡¯s difficult because Fiona is Roses¡¯s best friend. But I know what you mean. Rose is the one who revealed my secret before¡­¡± He paused for several beats, collecting his thoughts. Finally, he added, ¡°¡­before at a previous job, I mean.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s eyebrows rose again. She felt her head turn slightly to the side, unsure if she should believe Asher or not. Before¡­?

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Asher continued, trying to wave off his statement. ¡°I¡¯ll handle my sister to the best of my ability, but I¡¯d appreciate it if I wasn¡¯t in the office, and she did anything particularly egregious, that you¡¯d give me a heads up.¡±

    ¡°Of course I will,¡± Daphne replied. She took the final bite of her sandwich and then looked down at her watch. ¡°Oh goodness,¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll need to head back.¡±

    She crumpled up the wrapper for her sandwich and saw Asher nod at her. ¡°Sounds good,¡± he said. ¡°I probably won¡¯t be too long behind you,¡± he added, lifting up the small hunk of sandwich he had left.

    Daphne nodded and smiled. ¡°Thank you for lunch,¡± she said. ¡°We should do this again sometime,¡± she added.

    He nodded, as she stood up and turned to leave. As she walked out of the sandwich shop, her shoulders loosened, as if a weight had come off them. At least if no one else treats me the same after finding out who my mother is, there¡¯s at least a good chance Asher will. The thought made her feel more lighthearted than she had been in a long time.

 Chapter 32

    As Daphne sat down next to Holly at the bar and ordered her drink, she felt a wave of relief wash over her. Though she had only started getting to know Holly recently, she already was more comfortable with Holly than with most of the people she¡¯d had in her life before.

    Daphne also could not ignore the pit of anxiety in her gut, knowing that inevitably, Holly would want to talk about her mother. Still, Daphne took a big swig of her drink in hopes of easing the burden of talking about her mother twice in one day, and to hopefully soften the blow, should Holly choose not to believe in Daphne¡¯s stories about her mother.

    Daphne looked over at Holly, who was giving a dirty look. Daphne gulped and felt her heart jump into her throat. She laughed nervously unsure how to respond to Holly¡¯s look.

    Holly¡¯s face broke out into a smile, and she gently elbowed Daphne in the ribs, not enough to hurt, but just enough for Daphne to know that Holly was being playful and joking.

    Only some of the tension loosened in Daphne. She still felt as taut as a string on an instrument.

    ¡°I know you and I are still getting to know one another,¡± Holly started, ¡°But honestly, when your mother showed up yesterday, I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised that you had never mentioned before that your mother was the famous Kimberly Woods.¡±

    Daphne shrugged, thankful that her friend was approaching the issue more delicately than others had in the past. ¡°To be honest,¡± she stated, ¡°I¡¯ve been on bad terms with my mother for a couple of years now, so we have only recently started talking again.¡±

    Recently doesn¡¯t even explain how recent it was, Daphne added to herself.

    Holly narrowed her eyes and looked at Daphne out of the corner of her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s hard for me to believe that Kimberly Woods, who¡¯s been both on local and national television multitudes of times, has her name plastered on so many buildings throughout this town, been invited to national ribbon cuttings, and is a famous gardener who started out poor but made it to be the top gardener in the world, is on bad terms with one of her children.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart sunk in her chest. It seems I¡¯ve already lost this battle to my mother. Maybe it was a waste of time to come here and meet up with Holly after all.

    Holly seemed to notice the subtle change of Daphne¡¯s expression. Holly¡¯s furrowed her brow. ¡°Is it all a fa?ade then?¡± Holly asked.

    Daphne had been looking down into the pool of alcohol in her glass, but her head snapped up at Holly¡¯s words.

    Holly¡¯s face looked triumphant. It was as though she had been expecting Daphne to react the way she had.

    ¡°It is,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°Or, at least, most of it is a fa?ade. Probably not all of it.¡±

    Daphne studied Holly¡¯s face closely as Holly reacted to Daphne¡¯s words. Holly narrowed her eyes, and Daphne still wasn¡¯t quite sure if Holly believed her or not.

    Daphne chewed on her tongue a little and swallowed hard, unsure of what to say. I¡¯ve never successfully convinced anyone that my mother is as bad as she is. I really ought to tread carefully.

    ¡°What is she really like then?¡± Holly asked.

    Daphne had to purse her lips as to not let a smile burst through.

    ¡°Do you mind if I tell you a few stories?¡± Daphne asked. ¡°It¡¯s really hard to portray how she really is without going into detail.¡±

    ¡°Sure, that¡¯s fine,¡± Holly replied before taking a sip of her drink.

    Daphne let out a heavy, shaky sigh. ¡°I guess one story is the reason I didn¡¯t talk to her for two years¡­Which is how she acted at my father¡¯s funeral. I suppose I should give you a little background into their relationship first though,¡± Daphne said, scratching the top of her head. She glanced over at Holly.

    Holly nodded, suggesting Daphne could continue.

    Daphne took a quick sip of her drink before continuing. I¡¯ll need some liquid courage to get through this.

    ¡°My father bent over backwards for my mother,¡± Daphne began. ¡°He did everything for her. If she wanted it, then you bet everything that he did it for her. If it was her life goal, he went all out to help her achieve it. It did not seem to matter to him how much he or us kids had to sacrifice, so long as Kimberly Woods got what she wanted.¡± Daphne sighed, shaking her head at her father¡¯s foolishness and taking another swig of her drink before continuing.

    ¡°You¡¯re right that my family used to be poor. We were poor primarily because there was four children, and we were living off the meager money my father made at that point. My mother refused to get a job, and to this day, I¡¯m not sure why she didn¡¯t try to get one. It wasn¡¯t until I was six years old that she really seemed to take gardening seriously. She got the lion¡¯s share of any extra money we had, even if that meant her children were wearing tattered and holey clothes to school. She had always been trying to grow plants at home while my dad worked, but she realized that she could start trying to earn money by participating in contest that cost money to enter.¡± Daphne shook her head before continuing.

    ¡°My dad had to start working overtime in order to pay for her entry fees, and even in those early days, my mother wasn¡¯t exactly a good homemaker. Instead, us kids were tasked with taking care of each other, and the house, which was difficult for us. And there were plenty of times that we weren¡¯t sure if we were going to have enough food to make it to my father¡¯s next paycheck because of how close to the wire my mother was spending.¡±

    Daphne took stock of Holly¡¯s reaction to the words she was saying. Holly was shaking her head and grimacing. Daphne¡¯s heart skipped a beat. I don¡¯t know if her reaction is good or not.

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    ¡°Despite his flaws,¡± Daphne continued, ¡°I loved my father dearly because he was really the only parent that paid attention to us kids. He never chose favorites and tried to treat us equally, unless my mother intervened. So when he passed away, I was devastated.¡± Daphne had to pause and swallow hard to clear the knot in her throat. It had been so long since she had thought about her father.

    ¡°My mother was positively jovial at his funeral,¡± Daphne continued. ¡°She didn¡¯t cry. She didn¡¯t even speak about his life, she chose not to. I saw her flirting with another man immediately afterwards, and she completely admonished me for bring the wrong flowers.¡± Daphne thought of the yellow mums that she had saw moments before her death. They were the flowers that she should¡¯ve brought. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t help but feel as though her behavior was inappropriate and disrespectful to my father, on top of all of the other issues she and I were having, so I stopped talking to her at that point.¡±

    Daphne looked over at Holly again, who¡¯s eyes were as large as saucers. ¡°I totally agree with you,¡± she said. ¡°I couldn¡¯t imagine acting that way at my husband¡¯s funeral. Especially if he gave up pretty much everything for me.¡±

    Daphne nodded, her heart soaring at Holly¡¯s words. ¡°Right before my father passed away, he confided in me that he believed she may have had an affair at some point. I don¡¯t know if she did or not, but I kept hearing those words in my mind at his funeral.¡±

    Holly whistled. ¡°What a thing to drop on your child right before you die.¡±

    Daphne pursed her lips and  nodded. ¡°That wasn¡¯t that uncommon in my family, though,¡± she said. ¡°My mother once told me that she should have dropped me off at an orphanage because of how much I misbehaved.¡±

    Holly¡¯s jaw dropped and she shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine telling my son that. I guess who people are on TV and who they actually are, have always been two different things,¡± she said. ¡°When I was growing up and I saw your mother on TV, I was envious of whoever her children were, because I thought she would be the perfect mom.¡± Holly rubbed her forehead. ¡°But I would take my own childhood, being poor and having a loving mother, over someone like your mom.¡±

    Daphne blinked at Holly a few times. ¡°¡­you¡­you believe me?¡± she asked, feeling a little lighthearted at the thought.

    ¡°Of course I believe you,¡± Holly replied. ¡°Why would you lie to me? Obviously, you were hiding who your mother was for a reason. I could have never imagined the reason was something like this.¡± Holly shook her head again. ¡°If all of that is true, you have some serious blackmail material on your mother. You could literally destroy her life and her public image.¡±

    Daphne took a drink of her alcohol. ¡°I never thought of it that way,¡± she said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯ve pretty much always just wanted as little to do with her as possible.¡±

    Holly nodded. ¡°Totally understandable,¡± she said.

    ¡°Still,¡± Daphne said, staring down into her glass of alcohol, as the ice melted a little, tinkling the glass. ¡°To have you believe me¡­¡± she shook her head, feeling the familiar pinprick of tears filling her eyes.

    ¡°Has no one ever believed you before?¡± Holly asked, surprised.

    ¡°Never,¡± Daphne murmured softly. ¡°My mother has a very good personality in the public eye, so it¡¯s hard for people to believe that¡¯s not who she always is. She¡¯s such a charming person in that way.¡±

    Holly sighed. ¡°No wonder you¡¯ve never had any friends, and never lived.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Take a shot of your drink, Daph,¡± she commanded.

    Daphne complied, feeling the alcohol burn against the tightness in her throat. ¡°I appreciate you as a friend even more than I did before this conversation,¡± Daphne murmured. She sighed heavily, feeling the alcohol coursing through her, making her feeling much more lighthearted than the topic of conversation should have her feeling. ¡°But enough about me,¡± Daphne said, looking over at Holly. ¡°How are things going with you and your husband?¡±

    Holly let out a small giggle. ¡°Things are going really well for us,¡± she said, flicking a braid off her shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ve been talking about maybe having another baby!¡±

    Daphne felt her eyes go wide and her mouth drop a little. ¡°Oh my gosh!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s so exciting! Congratulations!¡±

    ¡°Oh stop,¡± Holly said, with a coy smile. ¡°There are no congratulations in order yet.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll let me know when you know, right?¡± Daphne asked, raising her eyebrows.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Holly said, smiling warmly.

    Daphne let out a little giggle of her own. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so excited for you!¡± she exclaimed.

    In spite of her genuine excitement for her friend, Daphne felt her mouth drying, and her stomach twisting around inside of her. When it is going to be my turn to be happy?

    ¡°What about you and Asher?¡± Holly asked, switching the conversation back to Daphne. ¡°Seems like there might be something going on between the two of you¡­¡± Holly squiggled her eyebrows at Daphne.

    Daphne felt her face heating up. Shit. Are my feelings really that obvious that Holly thinks that there is something going on between us?

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing going on,¡± Daphne replied, pursing her lips.

    Holly gave her a flirty look. ¡°Are you trying to start something with him then?¡± she asked.

    Daphne let out a short laugh. ¡°Not at this point,¡± she said. ¡°Not since I just got out of that relationship with my ex.¡±

    Holly pouted at Daphne. ¡°Were you really in a relationship with that¡­Gerald or whatever his name was? Or was it a relationship in name only?¡±

    Daphne let out a laugh at Holly botching Gary¡¯s name. ¡°What do you mean by a relationship in name only?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you know,¡± Holly said, waving her hands. ¡°Acting as if you were in a relationship with him and not doing relationship things. Was there physical affection? Did you feel like you could rely on him and talk to him about your problems and your everyday life? Did you sleep with him?¡±

    Daphne nearly choked on her alcohol on the last question, feeling herself flush all the way down to her neck. She cleared her throat before answering. ¡°No¡­¡± she answered. ¡°To all of those questions.¡±

    Holly shrugged at her. ¡°What about after you guys broke up? Did you miss him at all?¡±

    Daphne thought back. She shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m pretty sure I was more upset about having to start over.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like it was a relationship in name only, to me, then,¡± Holly said.

    Daphne felt weak and dizzy from Holly¡¯s statement. Was it really that shallow of a relationship, all this time? Was I really betting that I could save and be happy from an empty shell of a relationship?

    She shook her head slowly at Holly. ¡°I guess I never looked at it that way,¡± Daphne said.

    Holly nodded rapidly a few times. ¡°Relationships are a two-way street,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to get out at least some of the effort you are putting in.¡±

    Was the benefit to me of being with Gary that low? Even though Daphne hoped the opposite was true, she could feel a small corner of her heart suggesting to her that she really had gotten nearly nothing out of her relationship with Gary.

    ¡°So, in that case, I¡¯d say you should pursue Asher if you like him,¡± Holly said. ¡°It seems as though he might feel the same way about you.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°You think so?¡± she asked.

    Holly looked at her sternly. ¡°Absolutely,¡± she replied.

    Daphne felt her face heat up again. ¡°I¡¯ll consider it, then,¡± she said.

    ¡°Please do,¡± Holly said. ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve spent a lot of your life being unhappy, so it would be lovely to see you happy, for once.¡±

    Daphne let out a small giggle, as her heart ached painfully in her chest. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said.

    Despite realizing that her relationship with Gary may have been more empty than she realized, Daphne couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit hopeful at the idea of allowing herself to experience her growing feelings for Asher without reproach.

    And if I¡¯m lucky¡­. maybe Holly is right, and he will feel the same way as me.

 Chapter 33

    Arriving at her parents¡¯ mansion, the place where Daphne had spent the majority of her teenage years, and not seeing her father, was already unnerving. Finding out that her mother had hired a maid, attending to her mother¡¯s every whim was even more perturbing to Daphne.

    The maid had shepherded Daphne into the dining room, making her feel like a guest in what used to be her own home. Much to Daphne¡¯s chagrin, all of her other siblings were already there, and she had been the last to arrive. She already felt her stomach rolling around at the idea that she already may have upset her mother at the beginning of the dinner, but her mother just smiled pleasantly at Daphne without a word.

    The dining space was an open concept, but instead of the table that Daphne had grown up with filling the space, an immense, polished, but ultimately raw, slice of wood table sat in the middle of it all.

    I didn¡¯t even know she had replaced the original table. Daphne¡¯s heart ached. She had spent many hours at the original one doing homework and asking for her father¡¯s help.

    Despite the enormous width of the table, there was a crook in the log at the head of the table that made it so it could only fit a single chair in it. Of course, it was the chair her mother was standing right next to in a silver evening gown.

    She wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.

    Much to Daphne¡¯s displeasure, the maid directed her to sit right next to her mother, across from her brother Cy, and next to her younger brother Ollie. Daphne nodded at Ollie, and he nodded back.

    I¡¯m not even sure how long it has been since I¡¯ve talked to Oliver. I hope things have been going well for him. As long as things have been going better for him than they have for me, I suppose he¡¯s probably doing alright.

    Daphne looked around the room suddenly realizing that while her mother had said it was a family dinner, she had literally meant the entire family. On Cy¡¯s right was a gorgeous tanned blonde woman who was wearing a flashy sequined, hot pink gown that was nearly see-through. Cy was wearing a luxurious tux, but his hair was rumpled and curly, very much unlike how straight and pristine it looked whenever Daphne saw him on the news. He must have flown in this morning.

    Next to Cy¡¯s girlfriend of the month was Michael, Maggie, and their two daughters. On the other side of Oliver was his long-term girlfriend Alexa, while Viola stood on the other side of Alexa.

    This is some Thanksgiving style family dinner¡­Not just a casual family dinner

    She also couldn¡¯t help but notice that she, Oliver, and Alexa were the least well-dressed people at the table. Daphne had just grabbed some of her regular office clothes, knowing full well that she may never hear the end of it if she just showed up in sweat pants or jeans. Ollie had been the most bold of all, wearing a nice plaid button up shirt and a bright blue pair of jeans. Alexa was wearing a cute floral jumpsuit, but it still wasn¡¯t exactly evening wear. And while Maggie¡¯s family¡¯s clothes looked a bit rumpled and un-ironed, they were at least closer to formalwear than what Daphne had thrown on.

    Viola was wearing a plain black even gown. She looked tired and ragged otherwise. It was a dress that Daphne was sure Viola and her mother had probably fought over, given her mother¡¯s hatred for black.

    She really doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s doing well. Just like Maggie said. Her demeanor has completely changed from the person that she was two years ago. She seems so much more closed off than she used to be.

    Daphne looked down at her own ruffled blouse and slacks. I should have thought to ask my mother the dress code for this family dinner. She looked back at her mother¡¯s glittering silver gown. It¡¯s so like Kimberly Woods to do something ostentatious like this.

    ¡°Thank you so much, Lily,¡± Kimberly said to the maid with a smile. She turned towards her guests who were all hovering around their chairs. Kimberly clapped her hands together and the sound made Daphne flinch. ¡°Well, now that we¡¯re all here together, why don¡¯t we have a seat?¡±

    Kimberly pulled out her chair and began to sit, her whole family following suit. Something glittered in the light at Daphne¡¯s eyes, and she turned and noticed that Cy was wearing golden cuff links with bright, shining diamonds set in them.

    Holy fuck. Those cuff links probably cost more than my annual salary.

    ¡°Oh, my goodness, Magnolia!¡± Kimberly squealed as Maggie assisted her two young daughters into the chairs at the table. ¡°I can¡¯t believe how big they¡¯ve gotten.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡± Maggie asked, looking over at their mother with a soft smile, before looking back at her daughters, her smile brightening into one of a proud mother.

    Kimberly looked over at Daphne and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you could make it, Daphne,¡± she said, her chin in her hands. She wore the same smile that she had while looking at Maggie¡¯s daughters.

    Daphne searched her mother¡¯s face closely for cues of her true mood. Surely she¡¯s disappointed that I didn¡¯t come dressed appropriately for her dinner party. Her mother¡¯s face betrayed nothing.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to be here,¡± Daphne lied.

    Kimberly glanced over at the woman next to Cy. ¡°Victoria, I am so glad that you were able to join for dinner tonight before you had to fly back. I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re getting to meet the rest of the family.¡±

    Victoria appeared to try to be smiling, but her heavily botoxed face made it look more like a grimace than a smile. ¡°Thank you so much for having me, Mrs. Woods,¡± the woman replied.

    The room fell into an awkward silence as Kimberly looked around, studying each of their faces closely. She kept the same serene, happy smile on her face the entire time. ¡°I¡¯m so thrilled to have you all with me today,¡± she finally said, before making a gesture at the maid. The maid nodded and turned to go to the kitchen. A few brief moments later, she came out carrying a gorgeous metal plate, positively heaping with food, and put it down in front of Viola. She then turned and went back to the kitchen for the next plate.

    Is my mother serious right now? She¡¯s going to make the maid carry out all of our plates individually? Daphne did a quick headcount. There were nine people, plus the two children.

    Such an obnoxious display of wealth and power is so unnecessary and so like my mother. Daphne felt her stomach lurch. Of course she¡¯s spending boat loads of money now that my father is gone. She just couldn¡¯t let him profit off the money he invested into her, could she?

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    She looked up at her mother and had to hold back a sneer. I¡¯d bet that this is the kind of lifestyle she¡¯s been hoping to live all this time. She has always thought that she deserved the best, even when she couldn¡¯t afford it.

    ¡°For the first time in two years,¡± Kimberly said as the maid continued to bring out the plates of food, ¡°Our whole family is gathered together again.¡±

    Daphne knew that even though her mother did not look at her directly, that this comment was a subtle dig at her, as Daphne, herself, was the sole reason her mother hadn¡¯t had the whole family together in two years.

    ¡°As Lily is bringing us all our food, I would love it if we could go around the table and all say something about why we are grateful about being a part of the Woods family. Partners are optional,¡± she said with a swish of her hand. She turned to look at Daphne. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go first?¡± she asked.

    Daphne had to hold back a cringe. Are you serious?

    She started wringing her hands underneath the table, and squirming in her seat. ¡°You¡¯re really putting me on the spot, Mom,¡± she said with a half smile. ¡°I don¡¯t really have anything to say off the top of my head¡­¡±

    Daphne turned to look at Ollie, who just raised his eyebrows at her. He was going to think while I talked. She recognized his expression, one that he had given her many times over the years.

    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± Kimberly said, calling Daphne¡¯s attention back to her. ¡°We can wait while you think.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s stomach did flip flops. That¡¯s a terrible idea. She watched as the maid put a small heaping silver plate in front of one of Maggie¡¯s kids. That means everyone is going to be waiting to eat while I come up with something.

    The warm scents of the food on the plate in front of her were beginning to waft up into her nose. Her stomach growled impatiently. How can anyone wait with such deliciousness sitting right in front of them? She could feel her mouth salivating.

    Daphne looked back up at her mother, who smiled, seemingly kindly, at her. Nonetheless, Daphne could feel the tension in the air.

    I don¡¯t know why I ever thought coming back into the family fold would be a good idea. I think it¡¯s probably one of the dumbest ideas I¡¯ve ever had.

    ¡°Um, well, I guess¡­¡± Daphne said, still trying to come up with something on the fly. ¡°I like knowing the meaning behind flowers,¡± she said finally.

    It was a weak reason to love being a part of her family, and Daphne knew it. Nothing better comes to mind. For the most part, I hate being a part of this family.

    Daphne half expected her mother to tell her to find a different reason, as she would have in the past. Thankfully, for Daphne, however, her mother seemed to be in a good mood and just smiled and nodded at her.

    ¡°Oliver?¡± Kimberly prompted Daphne¡¯s younger brother sitting on her right.

    I gave him and everyone else plenty of time to think. Hopefully the rest of this goes fairly quickly because of it. Her mouth was watering even more from the aromatic scents that were coming from the plate in front of her.

    ¡°For me,¡± Ollie started. He tapped his chin. ¡°I¡¯m really grateful for all of the older siblings I have.¡± He smiled at Daphne.

    Ugh he knows I barely escaped a bullet for him. At least I got some credit this time.

    ¡°Alexa?¡± Kimberly prompted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll skip,¡± Alexa said in her sweet voice. ¡°I know that Ollie and I have been together for some time now, but I¡¯m still getting to know everyone, so I¡¯m not sure of what all there is to be grateful for.¡± She smiled warmly at Kimberly.

    A bold answer, considering they have been together about six years.

    ¡°No problem,¡± Kimberly replied. ¡°Viola?¡±

    Viola was wringing her own hands on top of the table, her face nervous. ¡°I¡¯m, um.¡± She bit down on her bottom lip.

    And Mother says she¡¯s perfectly fine and happy. How ridiculous.

    ¡°I¡¯m g-grateful for all the support this f-family gives me,¡± she said.

    I suppose there are a couple of brave souls at the table tonight. Daphne glanced at her mother. Her mother did not seem to care that the comment that came out of her youngest daughter¡¯s mouth was probably meant for Maggie. Kimberly still seemed to be in a perfectly happy mood.

    ¡°The girls?¡± Maggie asked, looking over at their mother. ¡°Do you want them to answer?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re far too young to understand what gratitude means, or what it means for them to be a part of the Woods family,¡± Kimberly replied dismissing Maggie¡¯s concerned look with her hand. ¡°You¡¯re up next, Magnolia,¡± she said.

    ¡°Right then,¡± Maggie said, her face relieved. ¡°So, I¡¯m grateful for this family for having so many wonderful siblings.¡± She looked around the table at everyone. ¡°You and Dad did great, Mom,¡± she added, looking at Kimberly.

    Kimberly¡¯s face wavered in its warm smile for only a moment, but she quickly transitioned back to it. ¡°What about you, Michael?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful that this family gave me Maggie and the girls,¡± he said, looking at his wife with affection.

    Though Daphne felt a twinge of jealousy that she didn¡¯t have anyone to say such a thing to her, she was simultaneously feeling her heart warmed at the affection in Maggie¡¯s relationship.

    ¡°What about you, Victoria?¡± Kimberly asked. ¡°I know you and my son haven¡¯t been together all that long, but do you have anything you¡¯d like to share?¡±

    Victoria looked like she was trying to smile awkwardly, as it was clear Kimberly was putting her on the spot. ¡°I, um, will pass,¡± she said, her face staying passive.

    Kimberly nodded. ¡°Alright then, last, but most certainly not least, Cypress. Why are you grateful for being in the Woods family?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful for the partnerships that can come from this family,¡± Cy replied, grinning at their mother.

    Kimberly barked out a laugh. ¡°Cypress, surely you¡¯re not trying to steal my thunder right now, are you?¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart dropped in her chest. Is Mother about to have a meltdown in front of the whole family? She wrung her hands in her lap.

    She looked back up at her mother, and felt her eyebrows raise at the amused look on her mother¡¯s face.

    Some of the tension that had built after Cy¡¯s comment released, causing Daphne¡¯s stomach to drop. If she had said that comment to anyone by Cy¡­or if she had been in a worse mood¡­

    Daphne let out a breath she didn¡¯t even know she had been holding. She met Maggie¡¯s eyes across the table, and saw that she was doing the same.

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Cy replied, still smiling at Kimberly. ¡°I¡¯m just very excited about our business venture together.¡±

    Business venture? What does Mother have Cy tangled up in now? Her stomach twisted around inside of her. Why am I not surprised that she pulled him into something? They¡¯ve always had such an odd relationship.

    She took a quick peek at the other people sitting around the table. Regardless, I can¡¯t help but feel that this whole family dinner thing was a ploy for her and Cy to put on a show without telling the rest of us.

    Daphne looked back over at her oldest sibling. There¡¯s no doubt in my mind that Cy has always been her favorite child, though. They were always cooking up things together in the past, too. I¡¯ve never understood it¡­ She studied Cy¡¯s face closely. I don¡¯t understand why anyone would want to be close with someone who can treat people as badly as our mother can.

    Kimberly laughed at Cy, and pinched his cheek. It seemed as if she tugged a bit harder than she might have if he hadn¡¯t ¡°stolen her thunder,¡± as Daphne saw Cy wince a little. She couldn¡¯t help but cringe at the interaction. How can he handle being treated like a child when he¡¯s a full grown adult?

    ¡°Well, as for me,¡± Kimberly said, turning away from Cy. ¡°I¡¯m grateful for all of my children, regardless of what they bring to the table, but on this particular evening, I am feeling especially grateful to Cypress, who has helped me so that I could create the Kimberly Woods foundation.¡± She grinned brightly at Cy. ¡°I am hoping to do lots of outreach and bring gardening classes to our community, as well as investing in the community itself by bringing additional green spaces and community gardening efforts to our area.¡± She grinned even wider, somehow. ¡°We had the official ribbon cutting ceremony earlier today. It will be aired on national television tomorrow.¡±

    Daphne closed her eyes, her body already tensing up at the thought of what Monday might have in store for her at work. As if I could dread going into work any more than I already did.

    ¡°I¡¯m very much looking forward to this next chapter in my life, and I¡¯m exceptionally grateful at the wonderful family I have to celebrate with tonight!¡± She grabbed her glass in front of her that was sloshing it was so full of wine. ¡°I would love to share a toast with you all,¡± she said.

    Daphne, and the others around her raised their glasses as well.

    ¡°To the Kimberly Woods foundation!¡± her mother cheered.

    ¡°To the Kimberly Woods foundation,¡± everyone chanted back, before drinking.

    The alcohol burned on its way down Daphne¡¯s throat, and in Daphne¡¯s stomach. Coming back to this world was definitely a mistake.

 Chapter 34

    Thirteen-year-old Daphne laid on her bed, staring at the glow of the second-hand stick-on stars she and her father had put on her ceiling when she was ten years old.

    Mom won! She won! Daphne held a ratty stuffed animal that she cuddled with at night close to her chest and squeezed it tight. She won five thousand dollars! She said that¡¯s two months of dad¡¯s pay combined!

    Daphne let out a squee, kicking her arms and legs into the air. Her dream is going to come true, I know it! She will be a world renowned gardener!

    Daphne had to bite her lip to hold back a screech of excitement. If she keeps this up, we¡¯re going to be rich in no time! I¡¯ll be able to hang out with my friends because it won¡¯t be too expensive anymore! All the foregoing we¡¯ve all been doing will have finally paid off!

    Daphne felt as though she might be able to reach the stars some day, and hold them in her hand. She reached her hand up towards her ceiling, wondering what the future might have in store for her.

    Maybe¡­someday¡­Mom will finally decide that I¡¯m old enough and I will get to help her in the garden. Maybe she¡¯ll teach me how to garden like her. Daphne giggled. Maybe someday I¡¯ll get to be the world renowned gardener!

    She thought about her older brother Cy, who was currently visiting for Labor Day. He was upset when they had sent him off to college. ¡°I¡¯ll have to work nearly full time and take out student loans to make it through college,¡± he whined. ¡°Hurry up and win some competitions so you can pay for my school!¡±

    Daphne grinned, remembering the moment. It may not be much longer until she can pay for his schooling. I wonder if she¡¯ll be able to pay for mine as well. She giggled at the thought. All that hard work will have paid off.

    For once in Daphne¡¯s young life, she felt optimistic. Most of her life had been spent listening to her parents fight over how they were going to make things work. Things had always been dreary, her mother had always kept the curtains closed, keeping the house dark. After the win, though, things finally seemed as though they were on the upswing.

    Suddenly, Daphne¡¯s bedroom door swung open. She sat up hurriedly on her bed and saw her mother standing in the doorway. Kimberly¡¯s fists were clenched, and her typically perfectly smoothed hair was wild and sticking up everywhere. Daphne gulped, not knowing what was coming, but knowing that whatever it was, it wasn¡¯t going to be good.

    ¡°How dare you?¡± her mother murmured. Daphne could see Kimberly physically shaking. ¡°How dare you?¡± she repeated, screaming it out, her fists raising in to the air.

    Daphne¡¯s stomach twisted, as if her mother¡¯s words had been a physical punch to her gut.

    ¡°What?¡± Daphne asked, her voice barely a whisper.

    ¡°We can barely afford to put food on the table, and things are only just starting to look up. How could you be so selfish?¡±

    Behind her mother, Daphne saw her older brother Cy hovering, with a malicious smirk on his face.

    The fuck did he throw me under the bust for this time?

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Daphne demanded as her mother flipped the light on, stepping into her bedroom.

    Her mother had yet to look over at her. But, finally, Kimberly focused her beady eyes onto her third child. ¡°You know exactly what I¡¯m talking about,¡± Kimberly insisted. ¡°You spent a couple thousand dollars¡¯ worth of my winnings on designer clothes to show off to your friends, you selfish little bitch.¡±

    Daphne felt her eyes widen and her throat tighten. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± she squeaked out, repeating herself.

    Her mother ignored her, and began attacking the lowest drawer of Daphne¡¯s dresser. She ripped the drawer open, nearly pulling it off it¡¯s track, and started looking at the label of every single one of the items inside, throwing them behind her if they did not meet whatever criteria she was looking for. As the clothes came out one by one, they began to form a pile behind Kimberly, in the center of Daphne¡¯s room.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Daphne asked, shrilly. She had just finished cleaning her room and putting away her clean clothes less than an hour earlier. The way her mother was pulling clothes out of the dresser, all of her effort was quickly going to be for naught.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to confiscate the clothes as soon as I find them,¡± her mother replied, turning to look at Daphne with a rageful look. ¡°And then we¡¯re going to head to the store and beg them to take the clothes back.¡±

    Daphne swallowed hard. What will she do if none of the clothes show up?

    Kimberly moved to the second drawer in Daphne¡¯s dresser, ripping it open aggressively, and checking each of the tags on the clothes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any luxury clothes,¡± Daphne insisted.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll see about that,¡± Kimberly shot back, glaring at her daughter, her eyes daggers.

    A lump was starting to form in Daphne¡¯s throat. She started blinking rapidly, feeling her eyes sting. ¡°I didn¡¯t buy clothes with your money!¡± she yelled back at her mother. ¡°Why would I do that without asking?¡±

    ¡°Because you only think about yourself,¡± her mother growled. ¡°You¡¯ve always been a selfish little brat who can¡¯t see beyond your own wants.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s cheeks were becoming wet as her mother pulled open the third drawer. ¡°Mom, there are no clothes,¡± Daphne said, reaching to grab her mother¡¯s shoulder and gently tug on it.

    Her mother shrugged off her hand, glaring at her daughter. ¡°The level of insistence you have that they don¡¯t exist proves your guilt,¡± Kimberly shot back, angrily.

    ¡°There are no clothes except the ones you buy me!¡± Daphne insisted grabbing her mother¡¯s shoulder again, this time more firmly. Her mother shot her a look filled with contempt, turned back to her task and elbowed her daughter in the stomach.

    As Daphne clutched her stomach from the blow, the force was enough to make her take a step back. She tripped over the massive pile of clothes, and unable to catch herself, banged her forearm on the metal frame of her bed, leaving a nice long cut.

    Shit. That fucking hurt. Her tears strengthened in intensity as she lost some of her capability to hold her emotions back from the pain of the injury.

    Her mother moved onto the fourth drawer, pulling out Daphne¡¯s undergarments.

    ¡°Stop, Mom!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Just stop!¡±

    ¡°Not until I find what rightfully belongs to me,¡± her mother answered darkly.

    The undergarments drawer was quickly finished, but Kimberly was not, as she moved onto the closet. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I gave birth to and raised such an entitled little brat,¡± her mother spat, ripping the closet door open, to the point that Daphne saw some powder coming out of the screws on the hinges. ¡°Such a cruel person should not have been able to come from me,¡± Kimberly muttered to herself, just loud enough for Daphne to hear. She started yanking clothes off of their hangers, checking their tags and then throwing them into the massive pile of clothes in the center of Daphne¡¯s room.

    ¡°Mother!¡± Daphne cried out, her heart feeling hollow and wooden. ¡°There are no clothes!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking lie to me, young lady!¡± Kimberly shouted back. ¡°I know there are designer clothes in this room. And I will find them, no matter where my little harlot daughter hid them!¡±

    Her mother¡¯s words were finally enough to force Daphne to give up. She couldn¡¯t even cry, she just stared ahead, waiting as the pile of clothes continued to grow in front of her. She had her hand pressed down on the wound on her arm, still growing slightly sticky from the blood.

    There are no words I can say to get through to her. Daphne¡¯s heart felt as though it was being eviscerated. She is cannot be convinced. She would prefer to believe whoever lied to her rather than consider that my words might be true.

    She looked up at her mother, who¡¯s eyes were wild, and her hair more staticky and out of sorts than it had been when she¡¯d walked into the room. Mom says she loves me, but no matter what it is, she¡¯ll find a way for me to take the blame. Daphne squeezed her eyes shut tightly. I¡¯m defective. What sort of mother would call their child a harlot or a bitch unless it was true?

    The pile of clothes teetered over, becoming more of a lump of clothes in the center of Daphne¡¯s room. A few minutes after, Kimberly stepped out of Daphne¡¯s closet, still not having found what she was looking for. Daphne couldn¡¯t help but think that if it was possible, her mother would be breathing fire and having steam coming out of her ears.

    ¡°Where are they?¡± she demanded of Daphne. ¡°Did you hide them in your bed?¡± She came up next to Daphne, nearly kicking her out of the way. Daphne only moved a little bit to allow her mother to get closer to the bed. It was all Daphne had the strength for.

    Kimberly began pulling blankets off one by one, and shaking them out. They, soon, ended up in the massive pile of clothes in the room. Eventually, her mother even pulled the sheets off the bed, looking under the pillow, and they ended up in the pile as well. She even pulled up the mattress, checking underneath the entire bed.

    The mattress slammed back into the metal frame with a clang, causing Daphne to wince.

    ¡°Where are they?¡± Kimberly snapped. She grabbed Daphne by one of her arms and pulled her up onto her feet. Kimberly shook the girl, demanding where the clothes were. Spit hit Daphne¡¯s cheek, and she couldn¡¯t even find it in herself to flinch.

    ¡°There are no clothes,¡± Daphne repeated, almost robotically.

    ¡°Stop fucking lying!¡± her mother screamed in her face. ¡°Where are they? Did you hide them at one of your friend¡¯s houses? Tell me whose house they are at, right now!¡±

    ¡°I did not buy designer clothes using your money,¡± Daphne replied dully.

    ¡°Stop lying!¡± her mother screamed, her arm pulling backward to deliver a slap to her daughter.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on in here?¡± her father asked.

    Kimberly scrambled, pulling her arm close to her head to smooth out her hair, as if she hadn¡¯t just been threatening her daughter.

    ¡°I found a two-thousand-dollar charge on our debit card,¡± Kimberly replied, her voice shaking a little.

    Daphne turned to see her father stepping into the room, his face rapidly losing any color that it had.

    ¡°It was a purchase from a luxury brand,¡± Kimberly continued. ¡°I started asking all the kids if they knew anything, and Cypress told me he had seen Daphne with my debit card the week before he left for college.¡±

    Daphne swallowed hard. It was Cy. Of course, she believes Cy. Even though I¡¯m the one who saw Cy with her debit card.

    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to recover the clothes so that we can hopefully return them and get our money back,¡± Kimberly said.

    I even asked him what he was doing. I should have known he was up to no good when he told me it was none of my business. Of course he would throw me under the bus. If I try to say it was Cy, there¡¯s no chance in hell she¡¯s going to believe me.

    Daphne¡¯s cheeks were wet again. If I try to say anything I saw now, it¡¯s going to look like I¡¯m trying to get out of it.

    ¡°I understand,¡± her father said. ¡°But for now, let¡¯s take some time to cool down, hm? It seemed like things were getting pretty heated in here.¡± He held his hand out to Kimberly, not even sparing a glance at his daughter.

    ¡°Because she won¡¯t tell me where the clothes are,¡± Kimberly hissed, grabbing hold of one of Daphne¡¯s shoulders again.

    ¡°Kimberly,¡± Ian said sternly. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s mother sighed angrily, and let go, stalking out of the room.

    Her father finally spared her a glance. He seemed upset with her as well. ¡°Clean up this mess,¡± he said firmly, as he closed the door behind them.

    As the latch clicked, Daphne could no longer hold herself up. Her knees gave out, and she fell to the floor, silently crying and clawing at her chest. Her heart felt as though a whole ocean of emotion needed to be released from it.

    I will never be able to live this down. Even though I did nothing wrong.

 Chapter 35

    Daphne sighed heavily as she sat in one of the office stalls of the bathroom. What the fuck am I going to do? She put her head into her hands. Asher is out of the office because of the project we¡¯re working on together, Landon is out sick, and Holly is too busy to help me today. Why, of all days, did Fiona have to dump a bunch of work on me that¡¯s due tomorrow? It¡¯s a Monday morning, for god¡¯s sakes. Daphne let out a little groan.

    She let out a heavy breath, deciding that it wasn¡¯t worth it. I just won¡¯t do it. While it¡¯s true that Fiona will be able to blame me for not getting it done, it¡¯s not like she¡¯s going to look any better passing work off to one of her co-workers at the very last second.

    Daphne picked her head out of her hands and heard the restroom door swing open and closed. High heels clacked against the floor tiling.

    ¡°Hey,¡± a woman¡¯s voice said, echoing in the bathroom.

    Daphne paused, nearly holding her breath, recognizing the voice but struggling to place who it was based on the single word alone.

    The woman cackled, and Daphne felt her stomach flip flop. Fiona? Shit, she is the last person I want to interact with right now. Daphne pursed her lips. She probably won¡¯t be in here too long, right? I can just wait it out.

    ¡°I keep telling you that I think you¡¯re right,¡± Fiona said. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you keep double checking with me for reassurance.¡± The room fell silent again as whoever Fiona was talking to on the other side of her phone call responded.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep convincing me. She¡¯s as stuck up and bratty as you said she would be.¡±

    Daphne felt her ears perking up. Who is she talking about?

    ¡°You were totally right on that, too,¡± Fiona said with a chuckle. ¡°She seems to believe she¡¯s some sort of superhuman or something. She doesn¡¯t even flinch when I dump a bunch of extra work on her.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s breath hitched. Is she talking about me? She shook her head at herself. No way right? Who would she talk about me to anyway?

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t even protest,¡± Fiona spat. ¡°Not that I¡¯d let her say no if she tried. She seems to be under this delusion that she can manage it all.¡±

    Daphne swallowed hard, covering her mouth in hopes of muffling the noise. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She <u>is</u> talking about me. Who the hell is she talking to?

    Fiona laughed at whatever the person on the other side of the line said, and Daphne heard her lips smacking together. She must be coming in here to get tidied up after messing around with Trevor.

    ¡°You know I¡¯m doing what I can. I¡¯m doing everything I can to break her at work. Hopefully one of these times Trevor will have the balls to fire her.¡± She chuckled, seemingly at her own statement this time.

    Daphne shuddered. All this time, and Fiona has actually been trying to get me fired? What the fuck? What did I ever do to deserve this treatment from her?

    A dark thought popped into Daphne¡¯s mind. Her blood felt as though it was running cold, and while she was trying to keep her breath as shallow and quiet as possible, she had to fight the urge to gasp for air.

    Is it possible¡­that Fiona is somehow connected to my killer?

    The heels on Fiona¡¯s feet clacked against the tiles as she moved around in front of the sinks.

    Oh my God. I hope that she doesn¡¯t notice that I¡¯m in here. Please, if there is a God, don¡¯t let her notice.

    ¡°It is unfortunate that her boyfriend broke up with her before you could steal him out from underneath her,¡± Fiona said in an agreeable tone. ¡°It would have been satisfying to see the look on her face when she got dumped,¡± Fiona cackled.

    Daphne¡¯s heart stuttered in her chest. How does Fiona know about that? I haven¡¯t exactly been advertising that Gary and I broke up¡­is this person having me tailed?

    Daphne felt her face blanche.  Who the fuck is she talking to? The events of December twenty-third played out again her mind. Gary had broken up with her on the same night she was killed. He said he was ending things to be with another woman, who would still be able to pay his bills¡­Is it possible that the same person who killed me is the one who Gary started seeing that caused him to break up with me in the first place?

    Daphne had never felt so cold, or so small. Was it the killer¡¯s goal to break me before killing me? Why? What happened between me and this person? Who could possibly hate me so much that they wanted me dead?

    ¡°I bet she¡¯ll get another boyfriend,¡± Fiona said with a low laugh. ¡°She seems like the desperate type since she was hanging onto such a loser. Whoever she snags, you can just steal from her. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s bound to be as much of a loser as this last one.¡± Fiona let out a menacing laugh.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    Daphne¡¯s heart dropped in her chest. I know that I shouldn¡¯t give two shits about what cackling Fiona thinks about me or my ex. Her eyes stung, and she started blinking rapidly. She knew full well why she couldn¡¯t risk letting her emotions get to her in the bathroom stall. If she let out so much as a sniffle, it was over.

    Do other people really see me the way Fiona just described? How many other people in my life besides Maggie saw Gary as the complete loser that he actually was? She chewed on her lower lip. Though, the truth is that in the past, I probably wouldn¡¯t have listened to anyone who told me what a complete ass Gary was either. Even after getting this second chance, I struggled when Maggie suggested that Gary was not a good boyfriend. It took revoking the money from him for my eyes to be opened to who Gary really was.

    Daphne swallowed hard, feeling disdain towards herself. Maybe I do come off as desperate. Maybe that¡¯s why Gary targeted me in the first place.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll call you later,¡± Fiona said. ¡°Love you. Bye!¡± She drew out her ¡°bye,¡± and made a kissing sound into the phone, causing Daphne to cringe.

    Does she even realize she¡¯s friends with a murder-to-be? Or is the woman hiding her true intentions from even Fiona? Daphne chewed on the inside of her cheek. Or even worse for me, is it possible that the person Fiona was talking to has nothing to do with my death at all?

    Fiona started running water and humming. Daphne stuck her fist into her mouth as tears started to flow from her eyes against her will.

    Within a few minutes of getting off the phone, Fiona left the restroom, her heels clacking against the floor again, echoing loudly as she walked. Daphne waited a few beats before she left her stall, the toilet automatically flushing behind her. She washed her hands slowly, still processing the words that she had overheard from Fiona¡¯s conversation.

    She dried her hands and then pulled out a new paper towel to wipe her tears, attempting to practice her brave face as she went.

    It had been years since she¡¯d felt so rotten. The only thing that could compare to how she was feeling, had been her death itself.

    She studied herself closely in the mirror with the fake smile plastered to her face. It¡¯s a good thing I overheard that conversation, she attempted to convince herself. It¡¯s good because it made me realize that my killer may be closer than what I¡¯ve been thinking.

    Despite her words attempting to cheer herself up, her heart ached and felt hollow.

    Maybe my mother was right when I was a child. Maybe I really am defective. Surely so many people wouldn¡¯t treat me like I am, if I actually wasn¡¯t, right?

    Her heart started pounding in her chest, panging even more than it had. What did I ever do to deserve to be treated so poorly? What did I do to bring myself so much misfortune down on myself? Am I cursed?

    Her heart felt like it was going to explode. Her phone vibrated in her pocket, and she pulled it out, grateful for a distraction from her swirling mind. It was a text from Holly.

    Do you want to do drinks after work?

    Daphne couldn¡¯t help but smile a little, feeling grateful that there was at least one person who was on her side at work.

    Sure, she replied, before turning to leave the restroom.

    ~

    Daphne chewed on her lower lip as she sat down across from Asher for the team get together the bar. Holly, who had begged for Daphne to come with her to the event, sat down next to Daphne, a wide grin on her face.

    Outside of the luncheon that Daphne had gone to before Christmas, and prior to her return the past, she was fairly certain that she had never been to a team get together before. She¡¯d never had time, and she¡¯d never had close relationships with any of her coworkers before. As a result, she had no idea what to expect. One thing was for certain, she had not expected individual small tables to be a part of a team get together. Holly had made sure to pick a table as far away from Trevor as possible.

    Glancing over, Daphne couldn¡¯t help but notice that Trevor looked more annoyed than usual. Though typically Fiona was glued to his side, she was nowhere to be found. Daphne had to hold back a smirk. While Trevor had given her a piece of his mind for not completing the extra tasks that Fiona had dumped on her two days earlier, it was ultimately Fiona who had paid the price, since they were work tasks associated with projects she was responsible for. Daphne couldn¡¯t help but feel giddy at the idea that, for once, Fiona¡¯s dumping of extra work onto her had backfired.

    ¡°It¡¯s such a shame Landon is still sick,¡± Holly said with a sigh. ¡°He¡¯s a lot of fun.¡±

    ¡°It is a shame,¡± Daphne murmured, not looking up from her menu. Her heart fluttered at seeing the outline of Asher¡¯s dark head in her peripheral.

    Maybe I should have gone out more in the past. Even though it would have been hard at first.

    She made the decision about the beer she wanted, and then looked up at Asher in an attempt to steal a glance of his face, but, ultimately, met his brown eyes instead. She felt herself gulp at eye contact, and had to quickly look away, as she could hardly breathe.

    The last time he and I talked we were alone. And there might have been a vibe.

    She knew she was lying to herself a little in the moment. There was still a vibe in the air between them. She could still feel it.

    A server came up to take their orders, as Holly mentioned she had to text her husband. They ordered, and not sure what to say, Daphne caught herself meeting Asher¡¯s gaze again, not smiling awkwardly.

    I don¡¯t know what to say. My mind just goes blank every time I look at him.

    A couple of minutes later, the server came back with their beers, and Holly finally put her phone down.

    ¡°Ah, they have such quick service here!¡± Holly exclaimed, grabbing her glass. ¡°We should do a cheers,¡± she added.

    ¡°Cheers to what?¡± Daphne asked, as she and Asher both picked up their mugs.

    Holly grinned brightly at her. ¡°To teamwork and friendship!¡± She stated, putting her glass over the center of the table. Daphne and Asher raised their glasses to clink with Holly¡¯s.

    Daphne then raised her own glass to her lips and took a big gulp of the cold hoppy liquid. Her heart swelled in her chest as she looked over at Holly. I gotta give myself some props. It hasn¡¯t even been a full month since I returned to the past, and I¡¯m certainly not as lonely as I was before I came back. I have people I can rely on now, both inside of work and outside of it.

    Daphne took another sip of her beer, and looked over at Asher, locking eyes with him once again. She felt her heart skip a beat, and this time, rather than scrambling to look away from him as if she¡¯d been caught, she met his gaze for as long as she could manage it.

    I wanna know. Do you feel the same way I do?

 Chapter 36

    ¡°Ahh!¡± Holly exclaimed with a satisfied smack of her lips. It was Daphne who broke eye contact again, this time to look over at her friend. ¡°I love this kind of beer so much,¡± Holly said, looking at her glass as if she was admiring the wheat-colored liquid inside. She looked over at Asher with a slight smile on her face. ¡°Asher,¡± she said.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± he asked, raising his eyebrows and looking over at Holly.

    Daphne wondered where his eyes had been after she had looked away. Maybe Holly is right and he is into me.

    ¡°Are you a big beer drinker?¡± Holly asked. ¡°I already know that Daphne isn¡¯t.¡±

    Daphne felt her face heating up and she looked down at the table underneath her.

    ¡°Beer is alright,¡± Asher replied. ¡°It¡¯s not my favorite because it usually makes me feel full instead of tipsy.¡±

    Daphne looked up at Holly¡¯s face as she laughed at Asher¡¯s response. ¡°That¡¯s a fair answer,¡± she said. ¡°Beer is definitely not for everyone.¡±

    Asher shifted his weight in his chair, smiling back at Holly. Daphne felt his knee bump into hers, sending sparks through her. She nearly let out a gasp as he did, but somehow, she managed to stifle it just in time. She glanced up at him through her lashes, and it looked as though he was studying her reaction, or lack of one. She felt her stomach flutter, and she looked back at the table, feeling a small shiver go through her. She pressed her hands down onto her thighs, her long plum sleeved shirt suddenly making her feel all too warm and too cold at the same time.

    ¡°You know, Asher,¡± Holly continued as Daphne looked back up at her friend. She was doing everything she could to pay attention to Holly even though her mind was still preoccupied with the sensation of Asher¡¯s knee. ¡°We¡¯ve worked together for quite a while, and I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯ve ever gotten the opportunity to get to know you all that well.¡±

    Asher laughed a little, and Daphne got to see his warm smile lighting up his face. She felt her heart soar at the sight, despite the fact that he was laughing at something Holly had said.

    Oh man. I totally thought I had my emotions under control, but I was wrong. I was so wrong. I have it bad for this man. She felt her face heating up rapidly, and looked down at the table again. Her curtain of hair covered her face as she hid her feelings that were openly being displayed on her face.

    ¡°I feel the same way,¡± Asher answered in his warm timbre. ¡°I¡¯ve always admired your competence. Trevor doesn¡¯t deserve such a hard worker like you.¡±

    Still hiding in the curtain of her hair, Daphne felt her heart sink. So, his complimenting is not unique to me. She tried to think of a time when Asher had complimented her on something other than the one he¡¯d just paid to Holly, but nothing explicitly came to mind. Her heart panged. What if he¡¯s actually interested in Holly and not me?

    She uncovered her face, looking up at the two of them. ¡°Are you married?¡± Holly asked. ¡°Do you have a girlfriend?¡±

    Daphne pursued the center of her lips together. So this is why Holly asked me to come today. She must have heard that Asher was planning on coming to the get together. She must be trying to be my wing woman.

    Still, even though Daphne remembered that Asher had told her he had no one in his life before, she found herself waiting for his answer with baited breath on the off chance that something had changed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± he confirmed.

    Daphne had to hold back a sigh, but immediately felt her shoulders lose some of the tension that was in them.

    ¡°What about you, Holly?¡± he asked, not looking over at Daphne.

    She felt the pang in her heart again. Surely, he doesn¡¯t have feelings for Holly and not me. Right? Her stomach churned a little. What a cruel twist of fate that would be.

    Holly lifted her left hand up at the two of them and flashed her wedding ring. ¡°I actually remembered to put it on today,¡± she said.

    ¡°Ooh!¡± Daphne exclaimed, grabbing Holly¡¯s hands and bringing it closer so that she could inspect the ring. It was an emerald cut diamond, surrounded by vines and leaves with tiny little dark green stones embedded into them.

    ¡°Oh my gosh,¡± Daphne murmured. ¡°It¡¯s gorgeous.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Holly said with a little giggle as Daphne let her hand go. ¡°My husband did very well.¡±

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°What about you, Daphne?¡± Asher asked. Daphne¡¯s eyes met his brown ones again. She nearly felt as though she had the wind knocked out of her, hearing her name on his lips again.

    ¡°What about me?¡± she asked, unable to register what he might be possibly trying to ask her.

    ¡°Did you and your boyfriend end up making up?¡± Asher asked her.

    Daphne felt Holly gently jabbing Daphne in the ribs. Him asking means nothing. He also just asked about Holly.

    Daphne felt her face starting to boil again, but she couldn¡¯t manage to break her gaze with Asher. ¡°Oh, um¡­¡± she paused. ¡°No. We ended breaking up for good.¡±

    This time it was Asher who broke their connected eyes. She couldn¡¯t help but interpret the look on his face to be that of relief, even if it was perhaps wishful thinking on her part. He bit down on his bottom lip, causing Daphne¡¯s heart to go into overdrive. He smiled a bit, making her stomach flip flop a couple of times.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± he replied. He looked anything but sorry.

    Daphne had to look away, so she picked up her beer mug and took an enormous gulp in an effort to distract herself from her emotions raging inside of her.

    Holly looked over at Daphne. ¡°Oh my goodness,¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t forget it¡¯s a Wednesday, Daph,¡± she said.

    Daphne put her mug down and saw Holly eyeballing her closely. ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten,¡± Daphne said.

    Her eyes stung a little. Why does she have to chastise me in front of him?

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about that,¡± Asher said. ¡°If either of you get too drunk, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯ll get home safely.¡±

    Holly laughed. ¡°Ah ha! Thank you for that, Asher,¡± she said.

    Daphne couldn¡¯t reply, as her emotions were pulling her under again. Her heart sped up at the fact that as he¡¯d said the words, he¡¯d been looking primarily at her.

    I¡¯ll be lucky to survive this get together alive, with how much this man is making my heart race.

    ¡°How long ago was your last relationship?¡± Holly asked Asher.

    Daphne looked over at him, and she noticed that his ears were turning pink. He was looking down at the table bashfully, almost as if he genuinely did not want to answer Holly¡¯s question.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± he muttered. ¡°I¡¯ve been too busy for a relationship for quite a long time.¡±

    Daphne felt her eyebrows raise at the classically tall, dark, and handsome man in front of her. How is it possible that this hunk of a man hasn¡¯t had a girlfriend recently? Not only is he nice to look at, but he¡¯s also an absolute catch, too. Any girl in their right mind should have been pursuing him.

    Holly took another big gulp from her own beer mug. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± she said, scooting out of her chair. ¡°Bio break.¡± She got up and walked away, and didn¡¯t look back.

    Daphne looked over at Asher. He was smiling a little at her, and a small smile started growing on her own face. He laughed a little, sounding a bit awkward, and Daphne heard herself doing the same.

    She turned away from him, the smile still on her face, scrambling to come up with something to talk to him about. Every time I look at his face I start to blank. A previous conversation the two of them had popped into her mind. He likes hiking.

    Daphne cleared her throat.

    ¡°Have you gone¡­¡± she started to ask.

    At the same time, Asher began to say, ¡°How is your¡­¡±

    Her eyes met his again, and they broke out into laughter. ¡°Go ahead,¡± he told her, gesturing for her to speak first.

    ¡°Have you gone on any hikes lately?¡± Daphne asked, her amused smile still on her face.

    ¡°Honestly,¡± he replied, still smiling himself, ¡°I¡¯ve been juggling so many additional things out of work lately that I haven¡¯t had a chance to go on one.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s too bad,¡± Daphne said with a nod. She then gestured to him. ¡°What were you going to ask?¡±

    ¡°How is your job search going?¡± he asked, lowering his voice.

    Daphne shook her head and frowned. ¡°It¡¯s really not going very well,¡± she murmured.

    Asher looked like he chewed a little bit on the inside of his lower lip. ¡°I know I asked this before, but would you like me to reach out to tht guy I know who may need to hire a project manager soon?¡±

    Daphne felt conflicted. She remembered Fiona¡¯s words in the bathroom only a couple of days earlier, talking about how she was trying to break Daphne. Then there was the fact that even though she¡¯d managed to get herself out of extra work that had been assigned to her for the first time ever, she¡¯d still ultimately paid a price of Trevor screaming at her for her actions.

    On the other hand, she was finally beginning to fit in with the people at her workplace. She had people she could rely on and ask for help from. Will I be able to stay friends with Holly, Landon, and even Asher if I move on from this job?

    A pit started to grow in her stomach. Either way, I know that how I¡¯m being treated is not sustainable. Plus, if Fiona is keeping tabs on me for my killer¡­my life could be in danger if I stay. I can do my best to remain friends with them outside of work, she promised herself.

    Asher¡¯s chair scraped across the floor as he scooted closer to her, bumping both of her legs with his own. He stopped moving, and Daphne couldn¡¯t help but notice that his leg rested against hers, just faintly touching her. Her insides started melting at the faint touch.

    ¡°I would really appreciate it if you¡¯d ask him,¡± she murmured softly. ¡°And let me know if they have a position that I may want to apply to.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do that, then,¡± Asher said with a small nod. ¡°I also was¡­wondering¡­¡± He was rubbing the back of his neck.

    Daphne¡¯s heart was thundering in her chest. No way! No way, no way, <u>no way!</u>

    ¡°Would you like to catch a movie with me, maybe this weekend?¡± Asher asked.

    Daphne¡¯s stomach did flip flops, and her heart felt as though it was coming to a stand still. Does he mean this as a date? Or as friends? She studied his face closely, but honestly couldn¡¯t tell. I¡¯m not bold enough to ask. I don¡¯t want to get shot down.

    Fiona¡¯s voice came to mind again, talking to the person who may be her killer, saying that her killer would be able to steal whatever ¡°loser¡± boyfriend Daphne may get involved with.

    Do I even really want to start a new relationship?

    Nonetheless, Daphne met Asher¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like that,¡± she said, her heart feeling hopeful against her better judgement.

    He smiled warmly back at her. ¡°Great!¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll text you the details as we get closer to the weekend, then,¡± he said.

    ¡°Sounds wonderful,¡± she replied.

    ¡­whatever this is, between him and I¡­I hope it grows into something more.

 Chapter 37

    Daphne felt as though her whole body was shaking like a leaf as she walked up to the small clock tower that Asher was leaning against, in the center of the town square. She had tried to fix her outfit in such a way that it could pass for a date, if it was supposed to be a date, or for a casual hang out if it was supposed to be to be just as friends. She was wearing a floral teal dress with tall brown boots. Both Maggie and Holly had insistently told her that if Asher had asked her out to the movies alone, that it was most certainly a date, but Daphne still wasn¡¯t sure if she quite believed either of them. It still seemed too good to be true.

    As she got closer to the clock, she noticed that Asher had dressed similarly to how she had, in a nice button-up shirt and slacks that could pass for colored jeans if they were inspected closely. She couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh of relief, even though, simultaneously, the ambiguity of the situation increased.

    At least I¡¯m not over or under dressed.

    Her heart skipped a beat as she got closer to him. I get to see him on the weekend. On a day that I normally wouldn¡¯t get a chance to see him. We¡¯ll even get to be alone for several hours. She felt herself gulp as he looked up at her and their eyes met.

    ¡°Hey,¡± he said with a smile.

    ¡°H-hello,¡± she said, tucking one of her flyaway strands behind her ear.

    The thing I¡¯m most concerned about this how much I want to interpret this as a date. The last thing I want is to be rejected by someone I like so much.

    ¡°Glad you could make it,¡± he said, as he gestured towards the theater.

    ¡°Thanks for inviting me,¡± she replied, leading the way towards the ticket booth.

    I¡¯ll know more as time goes on, she tried to reassure herself. If he asks me to dinner after the movie, the probability that this is actually a date will increase.

    ¡°What kind of movies do you like?¡± he asked her as they slowly moseyed their way to the ticket booth.

    She laughed a little, her nerves getting the best of her. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not really sure,¡± she answered. ¡°I haven¡¯t had much time as an adult to watch movies.¡±

    She looked over at him and his eyebrows raised at the statement. ¡°Oh,¡± he replied. ¡°Well, what kind of movies did you like as a kid?¡±

    ¡°Uh,¡± Daphne replied, having to take the time to think back. ¡°When I was a little kid, probably fantasy was my favorite. Once I was a bit older, it was probably romance.¡± She felt her face heating up at even saying the word ¡°romance,¡± and had to turn away from him.

    Oh goodness. If I can¡¯t even say the word ¡°romance¡± in front of him, will I ever even have the capability to kiss this man? Or even chase after him?

    ¡°What kind of movies do you like?¡± she asked him.

    ¡°I typically really like science fiction and fantasy,¡± he said, he was grinning a little at her as they got up to the ticket window. He gestured to the movie posters that were displayed. ¡°Anything in particular you¡¯d like to see?¡± he asked.

    I should have researched in advance. Daphne mentally kicked herself at not having thought of it.

    ¡°Um,¡± she replied, scanning the posters. There was one called ¡°Lovers Across the Universe,¡± that stood out to her as one that could potentially suit both of their interests. ¡°What about that one?¡± she asked, pointing at the poster.

    ¡°Sure, sounds good,¡± Asher replied with a nod before turning to the teller. ¡°Two for ¡®Lovers Across the Universe,¡¯ please.¡±

    Daphne started pulling out her card in a hurry to pay for her part of the cost. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± he told her with a smile as he handed his card to the teller. ¡°I¡¯ve got it.¡±

    ¡°T-thanks,¡± Daphne replied, putting her card away. The last person who had paid for her was Gary, and even that was forever ago. Her heart felt like it was stuttering in her chest.

    Maybe this is a date after all.

    The teller handed Asher their two tickets and they walked into the theater. ¡°Do you want movie theater popcorn?¡± Asher asked, as their eyes met again.

    ¡°I, uh, honestly, am not sure if I like it or not,¡± she admitted, rubbing the back of her neck.

    His eyebrows rose again. ¡°Have you had it before?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Maybe once or twice as a kid,¡± she admitted, grimacing a little. ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said with a nod. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just get some for you to try then?¡± he asked.

    Daphne¡¯s heart skipped several beats. To try?

    ¡°Sure,¡± she agreed.

    They walked up to the snack counter and Asher ordered two drinks and a large popcorn. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind sharing,¡± he said with a small smile.

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Daphne replied, already wondering if their hands were going to accidentally touch in the popcorn.

    Does this mean it¡¯s a date? She shook her head at herself again. It¡¯s also the most economical option, she thought as she looked over the menu.

    They started heading to their theater, and they got to the seats just as the previews started.

    ¡°Coming soon to a theater near you,¡± the speakers blared as Daphne sat down on the seat next to Asher, and he began situating the popcorn between the two of them.

    Even just being so close to him was enough to make Daphne¡¯s heart pick up, and then she felt his shoulder gently bump into hers. She flinched a little and turned to look at him at the same time he looked at her.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he murmured, just loud enough for her to hear over the previews.

    Her heart nearly stopped at how close their faces were together. She felt his breath across her cheek. She found herself struggling to break eye contact with him, despite the alarms blaring in her head that she was, perhaps, being too obvious.

    She glanced down at his lips, and noticed how full and soft they looked.

    Realizing what she had just done, she looked away, knowing that if he could see her face, it would probably be a deep crimson.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    Thank goodness it¡¯s so dark in here. She was barely able to pay attention to the previews. She took a sip of her soda in hopes of cooling her face down.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem,¡± she finally murmured back, realizing that she might have left him hanging after she had flinched back.

    The movie started after a few minutes, and Daphne found herself reaching up into the bag of popcorn. She pulled out a couple of pieces and popped them in her mouth, savoring the oily, buttery flavor that burst from them.

    This is what I¡¯ve been missing out on? This is delicious. She reached for another handful, and then another.

    She felt a hand gently touch her hair, and then Asher¡¯s voice in her ear. ¡°Do you like it?¡± he whispered, sending shivers down her spine. I hope he didn¡¯t notice my reaction.

    She reached over and cupped her hand near his ear, inhaling his clean scent. ¡°It¡¯s yummy,¡± she whispered back. He smiled at her, as she pulled away, and then he gestured for her to bring her ear closer to him.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it,¡± he murmured in her ear.

    She turned back and smiled at him, and for a moment, she swore she saw him looking at her lips.

    Nope. He may not have been. If I try to interpret and determine if this is a date, I might end up missing the movie.

    Still, her face was blazing again as she turned back to the screen.

    The movie continued, and by the time they were about a quarter of the way through it, Daphne had determined she¡¯d made an absolutely terrible choice. The movie was mediocre at best, the acting lackluster, the characters flat, and it was far more romantic than science fiction. Their ships were flying through space and seemed more like magic than science.

    I fucked up. She chewed on her lower lip. We¡¯ll see if he can even look at me the same way after I chose this trash heap.

    She reached up into the popcorn, and felt his hand reaching up about the same time as hers. She felt his touch in the bag and quickly retracted her hand, feeling as though he had just electrocuted her.

    Her heart stuttered, but she looked over to him with a small smile on her face. She noticed he had a similar expression on his face. He gestured to the popcorn, and she nodded politely and reached her hand down into it, grabbing up a handful.

    After two long, torturous hours, the movie ended, and the main character ended up with a love interest that was a terrible choice for her.

    How dissatisfying. The pair walked out of the theater, throwing their trash away just outside the door. I¡¯m sure his opinion is going to change of me after I picked that movie out. She grimaced.

    ¡°What did you think of the movie?¡± she asked as they made their way back through the movie theater¡¯s lobby.

    He shrugged, looking nonchalant. ¡°It was alright,¡± he said. ¡°Not really my thing.¡±

    Daphne felt the pressure in her chest building. At least he hasn¡¯t walked way from me at this point.

    ¡°What did you think?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Honestly?¡± she replied, her heart thudding heavy in her chest. ¡°I thought it was absolutely terrible. What a waste of money.¡±

    Asher started laughing loudly as they moved out of the theater into the town square where they¡¯d met up. Daphne looked over at him, a bit surprised by his reaction. ¡°What?¡± she asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right,¡± he said, looking down at her. ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to say that in case you had really liked it.¡±

    Daphne let out a little chuckle of her own. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t dislike me for picking such a terrible movie, you can say how you really feel about it.¡±

    He chuckled a little. ¡°I appreciate that,¡± he said, reaching out and grabbing the pole of the clock in the center of the square, where they had only met up a few hours earlier.

    I really don¡¯t want to say goodbye yet. She clutched her purse straps.

    ¡°Well,¡± she said, shrugging her shoulders, as if she was getting ready to leave. Her heart sunk in her chest.

    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Asher asked. ¡°Do you want to get dinner?¡±

    Daphne immediately felt her heart lighten in her chest. It must be a date after all.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to get dinner,¡± she said, then patted her stomach. ¡°But right now I¡¯m really full form all that popcorn. Do you want to go for a walk in the park first?¡±

    Though the smile on his face had seemed nearly permanent since she had showed up, he showed it to her again. ¡°Sure,¡± he said. ¡°Lead the way.¡±

    The wind was chilly as they were over halfway through October already. Daphne pulled her jacket tightly around her as she looked up at the brightly colored leaves, probably at their peak color for the year. They contrasted with the blue of the late afternoon sky.

    ¡°You know,¡± she said, a serene smile lightening her face. ¡°I feel like fall is my favorite season.¡±

    Even in the moment, she was only just realizing it for herself.

    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Asher¡¯s warm voice asked beside her.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she answered with a firm nod. ¡°I never really thought about it or realized it before because I kept myself too busy.¡± She sighed at herself, shaking her head. ¡°I never spent enough time paying attention to the beauty of the changing seasons around me.¡±

    She looked over at him, meeting his brown eyes, and noticing some flecks of green in them in the sun. He nodded. ¡°I could see that about you,¡± he said. ¡°You seemed to have changed a lot recently, though.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been trying to change,¡± she replied, looking away, and feeling a warm glow in her heart at his words.

    ¡°Was there something that precipitated this change?¡± he asked her, his voice curious.

    ¡°There was,¡± she said, looking back up at the sky and the breeze ruffling the leaves. ¡°I realized that I¡¯ve been wasting my life, and that it could truly end at any moment. So, if I wanted to be happy and not regret things when death inevitably comes from me, I need to live differently.¡±

    She caught a yellow leaf as it was fluttering down high from the trees above them. It landed softly in her palm, and she smiled at it, her heart feeling as bright as its color.

    She turned and looked at him, and he was smiling pensively, and he nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a hard thing to realize,¡± he said. ¡°Did something happen that made you realize it?¡±

    ¡°I was in a¡­¡± She cut herself off, realizing that she was about to reveal the truth. She shook her head and smiled. ¡°Something like that,¡± she said.

    He was studying her face closely, as if he was searching for something in particular.

    Rather than letting him speculate about what she was hiding from him, she asked, ¡°It sounds like you understand the sentiment. What made you realize it?¡±

    ¡°It was also recently for me,¡± he said, looking up at the sky. ¡°Someone I had always cared about suddenly passed away, and I really regretted not having told them how much I cared about them before they passed on. So, I also decided to try to do better moving forward.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart ached for the person she saw in front of her, and the regret that was clearly playing out on his face. I¡¯m incredibly lucky to have gotten this second chance.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for your loss,¡± she said, turning away from him as they slowly meandered their way down the sidewalk.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay,¡± he murmured softly, behind her. ¡°That person has just inspired me to do try to do better in the future. You regret all of the moves you don¡¯t make, and all of that.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± she said with a nod of her head while pursing her lips.

    After all, my biggest regret after coming back to the past was how little I lived my life the first time around.

    Ahead of them was a bench. ¡°Do you want to sit for a moment?¡± he asked, nodding at the bench.

    ¡°Sure,¡± she said.

    She sat down on it, feeling the cold of the wood seeping through her dress. He sat down next to her, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off of his body, but not close enough that they were touching.

    Daphne let out a heavy breath, the faintest puff visible from her in the cooling evening. Her heart felt so full; fuller than it ever had been as long as she could remember.

    I¡¯m¡­happy, she realized. Her stomach started to twist around inside of her. This happiness could be taken away from me at any moment. And for all I know, I may not even exist to be happy after December twenty-third.

    She bit her lower lip at the thought. Why was I so obsessed with Gary? I never felt this way when I was with him¡­and I failed to realize that there were other, better guys who may have been interested in me.

    If she had been alone, she would have let out an audible groan at herself. I should have tried harder my first time to live my life for myself rather than focusing so much on other people. I didn¡¯t even know that I could be so happy, and that I could simultaneously feel scared to lose it.

    She looked over at Asher, who was staring at the trees, the breeze ruffling through his inky dark hair. The leaves from the trees started falling around them, like large confetti from the sky.

    He¡¯s absolutely right. I can regret not taking a chance when I want something, too.

    He looked over at her, and met her eyes, the breeze washing over the two of them again. ¡°Daphne,¡± he said, looking as though he was searching her eyes. ¡°I really like you.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Her face started heating up, but this time, instead of turning away from him, she pulled him closer to her, wrapping her arms around him, and gently meeting her lips to his.

    He responded, wrapping his arms around her, and pulling her closer, deepening the kiss. Daphne¡¯s whole body felt alive, her whole being was focused on the way his lips felt against hers, and one thing became crystal clear to her.

    She couldn¡¯t ever remember feeling this way before. She felt as bright as a full moon, able to light up even the darkest part of the night.

    They pulled away from one another. ¡°I like you too, Asher,¡± she murmured.

 Chapter 38

    ¡°You¡¯re just a baby with no money,¡± ten-year-old Rose Hawthorne said, her arms crossed, peering down at Daphne laying in the park¡¯s wood chips. The two girls standing behind Rose sneered at Daphne.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t even be here,¡± one girl said, flicking her hair.

    ¡°Your mother should be disqualified as trailer trash,¡± the other girl said, spitting on the ground near Daphne¡¯s hand.

    Eight-year-old Daphne shrank back from the girls. All I wanted was to play. Watching the gardening competition is boring. She had been overjoyed when her father had pointed out ot her that there was a park nearby that the children from the competitors often played at.

    But now this girl and her posse were trying to push her out.

    ¡°I bet your mom spends every penny you have to come here,¡± Rose said, her elegance exuding from her steps as she walked closer to Daphne. Rose put her shoe on Daphne¡¯s left hand, pinching her fingers into the wood chips. Daphne winced, but didn¡¯t try to escape.

    I shouldn¡¯t have come. I should have just stuck it out like I usually do.

    One of the girls in Rose¡¯s posse laughed maliciously. ¡°My dad¡¯s a judge,¡± she said. ¡°And so is yours, Rose. We should tell them that it wouldn¡¯t be good sense to allow commoners to win at these competitions.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart dropped in her chest. Will Mom really lose because I came here? She swallowed hard, unsure of what to make of the threats.

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Rose replied with a bright grin. She took her foot off of Daphne¡¯s hand. ¡°Such a thing will put both her and her mother in their place.¡± She sneered down at Daphne.

    ¡°Now, now, children,¡± an older gentleman said, coming up to the small group. ¡°We can all get alone, can¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°Grandpa!¡± Rose exclaimed, her face lighting up as if she¡¯d just been given a gift on Christmas morning. ¡°What brings you here?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s lunchtime,¡± he replied with a wrinkled old smile, holding up a picnic basket.

    ¡°Lunch time?¡± one of the girls said, looking horrified. ¡°I gotta go!¡±

    ¡°Me too,¡± the second girl said as they both started to run off, back towards the gardening tent.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you come sit with us, young one?¡± Grandfather Hawthorne asked Daphne.

    ¡°Grandpa!¡± Rose exclaimed. ¡°Why would you ask her to eat with us?¡±

    Daphne¡¯s stomach growled. She knew that even if she went back to the tent, there would be nothing for her to eat. The one thing that Rose and her posse had gotten right was that her mother had pretty much spent all of her father¡¯s money for the month just to enter the contest.

    ¡°Would you like to come sit with us, child?¡± Grandfather Hawthorne asked Daphne.

    Daphne took one glance at Rose¡¯s scowling face, and despite the hunger and her desire to eat, she knew that this girl would only bully her more in the long-run.

    ¡°No thank you,¡± Daphne replied, doing her best to sound polite, the same way Maggie had taught her. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± she added.

    The grandfather did not look as though he quite believed her, but he nodded his head in acknowledgement of her answer. Rose¡¯s face was covered in self-satisfaction.

    ¡°Grandpa!¡± a boy¡¯s voice called out from a nearby park bench. ¡°Over here!¡± The boy was waving wildly.

    Daphne turned away from the happy family and grabbed one of the bars of the merry-go-round. She started running, managing to get herself and the spinning circle going so fast that she almost felt like she was flying.

    If only I could fly away from here. She jumped up on the merry-go-round that was inevitably slowing down.

    What wouldn¡¯t I give to be a bird? She looked up at the bright blue sky. There were only a few cottony tufts of cloud in the sky, and the early summer was beginning to make the air warm and slightly swampy.

    The merry-go-round slowed down to a halt, and Daphne deftly got off it and began running with the bar in her hand again to speed it back up.

    If I was a bird, no one would judge me for being common. And I could fly away to where I am wanted.

    She jumped back up on the spinning circle again, the brightness of the sun reflecting off the metal of the device. If I was a bird, I¡¯d be free.

    ¡°What are you doing, Asher?¡± Rose¡¯s voice exclaimed. ¡°Get back here!¡±

    Daphne looked over in the direction of the picnic table and saw a young black haired boy walking up to her. He disappeared from view and reappeared as the merry-go-round slowed down.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Asher said, stopping the merry-go-round with one hand. The sudden stop caused Daphne to lurch a little, nearly losing her balance and biffing it into the warm metal. She managed to grab ahold of one of the bars fast enough.

    ¡°Hey,¡± she murmured.

    Have you come to finish your sister¡¯s work?

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Daphne,¡± she replied with a pout.

    ¡°Just like my mother¡¯s favorite flower,¡± he murmured softly.

    ¡°Do you know what it means?¡± she asked, her ears perking up. Her mother had always refused to tell her the meaning of her name, assuaging her desire by suggesting she was too young to understand.

    ¡°No, do you?¡± Asher asked, his brown eyes meeting hers.

    ¡°No,¡± Daphne replied, slouching.

    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Asher asked, holding up half of a cut sandwich towards her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give her that food!¡± Rose shouted, beginning to run up towards Asher and Daphne.

    Daphne reached out and took the sandwich from Asher, almost as if she was mesmerized. She took an enormous bite out of it.

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    ¡°How could you feed our enemy?¡± Rose shouted, panting, coming up behind Asher.

    ¡°Our enemy?¡± Asher asked, his eyes wide and his eyebrows disappearing into his black bangs.

    Rose pointed a finger at Daphne. ¡°Her mother is trying to steal the competition from our mother.¡± Rose¡¯s lips were pushed together in a thin line.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean she shouldn¡¯t eat, Rose,¡± Asher replied back, tapping his sister on the top of her head.

    ¡°That¡¯s absolutely what it means,¡± she replied, tossing his hand off of her head and sneering at him.

    ¡°Every kid deserves to eat,¡± Asher said. ¡°Mom says so all the time.¡±

    Rose growled at her brother. ¡°While you¡¯re at it, why don¡¯t you just marry her then?¡± she asked, jumping onto the merry-go-round, kicking at Daphne to get her off. Daphne complied, still inhaling the sandwich. ¡°Push me,¡± she commanded her brother.

    ¡°What¡¯s it to you if I marry her?¡± Asher asked, starting to run with the merry-go-round bar in hand.

    ¡°You deserve better than someone who eats your scraps,¡± Rose replied snottily.

    Asher stopped running and grabbed the bar of the merry-go-round to stop it. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business who I marry or like,¡± Asher said.

    From the sudden force of the stop, Rose tumbled onto the merry-go-round bars, banging her head in the process. She let out a shrill scream, and Daphne saw blood trickling out of her nose as she sat up.

    ¡°I hate you, Asher!¡± Rose screamed. Daphne saw their grandpa coming over, and Asher not looking guilty in any way.

    She giggled a bit, finishing off the sandwich. Her heart felt like a balloon filled with helium in her chest.

    He defended me. She looked over at the young boy in admiration. I wasn¡¯t invisible to him.

    ~

    Daphne grinned as she saw the elevator¡¯s number ticking upward. I wonder if that was the merry-go-round incident he was talking about when we got lunch a while back. Is it any wonder that I¡¯ve always had a thing for tall dark and handsome? Daphne let out a little squeal just before the doors opened to let her out onto the floor of her office. Rose is still the same person she was back then, too. Still as bratty and entitled as she was back then.

    Daphne let out a little chuckle and shook her head. And just as he did in the past, Asher defended me from his sister recently, too. I wonder why I didn¡¯t notice Asher the first time through this life? Did he make a move and I rebuffed him? Did he ever try to make his presence known to me before? Was I really that into Gary?

    She shook her head at herself. All I know is that I¡¯m grateful for this second chance, and this opportunity to get to know Asher this go around. The elevator doors dinged open, and she walked out. Still, it¡¯s surprising to me how different he and Rose are from one another. How is it even possible? They act like they came from two entirely different families; not like they shared a womb together. Daphne shook her head.

    Nonetheless, her heart felt warm. While they hadn¡¯t had an opportunity to see one another since their date, unlike Gary, Asher had texted Daphne nearly every day since. He¡¯d apologized about being busy, and told her that the travel for their shared project should be coming to an end soon. It was going to be his first day back into the office in nearly a week and a half.

    Daphne felt a wave of nervousness crash through her as she walked towards her desk. She had made little progress on her murderer, and it was already November third.

    She swallowed hard, trying to clear her head from the darkness that seized her. At least I¡¯ve made significant progress on finding a way to be happy. Next is finding a new job.

    Asher had informed her that he was still working on getting a hold of his contact. Daphne couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this meant that he was unable to get a hold of his friend. She had started to apply again in hopes of not having to rely on whoever Asher¡¯s friend was. If it was anything Gary had been honest about, it was the state of the economy. Daphne felt as though she had been applying to the same few jobs over and over. At this point, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if all of her applications were being dumped into a black hole.

    Or this is truly hell after all, and I¡¯m doomed to repeat the last three months of my life over and over to infinity.

    She sighed as she sat down at her desk, pulling open her laptop and starting it up for the day. She was so excited, she could hardly sit still. She knew that there was no way that Asher came in early, but she still found herself craning her neck to look at his cubicle anyway. Her heart sank in her chest when she noticed that he wasn¡¯t in just yet.

    He¡¯ll be here soon. She smiled, biting her bottom lip, and letting out a heavy breath. It feels like it¡¯s been a month since I¡¯ve seen him.

    There was one thing that made her nervous, though, she had been doing everything in her power not to think about it. Maybe he¡¯ll ask me to be his girlfriend today. She giggled a little as she began making her to-do list for the day.

    She heard someone tsk behind her and turned to see Fiona sneering at her. Daphne, for once couldn¡¯t help herself. She made a face back, rolling her eyes at Fiona, and turning back to her work.

    Her heart started pounding in her chest, wondering if Fiona was going to make her pay for her actions, but Daphne decided to not care all that much in the moment. As long as I get chance to see Asher, I can deal with anything.

    She started working, knowing that she had a lot to get done. Asher would probably want to debrief from all of the traveling he had done, and she wanted to do her best to minimize the amount of work that might get in her way.

    She giggled a little again. This feels entirely different from when Gary and I started dating. At times it had felt as though she was doing a bunch of chores just to go see him. In the moment, it had felt worth it, but looking back, she could clearly see that she hadn¡¯t even been half as excited to spend time with him as she was to spend with Asher.

    Why did I waste some much time with a loser like Gary? What could have possessed me to believe he was so great?

    Finally, she heard the rap of a hand against her cubicle wall. She whirled around, and there he was, her vision filling with the face she had missed the most at work.

    ¡°Hey, Daphne,¡± he said, his warm smile lighting up his face and his comforting brown eyes.

    ¡°Asher,¡± she said, giggling nervously, and tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°Do you have time around four to spend some time with me doing a debrief of the project we¡¯re working on?¡±

    Daphne slowly turned back to her computer, wishing she did not have to stop looking at him in that moment. Be professional, she chastised herself.

    She opened up her calendar on her computer, and heard him take a few more steps into her office space. The warm, clean scent of his cologne followed, and she had to hold back the urge to take a deep breath of it, filling her lungs with his essence.

    Her heart dropped as she noticed that she had a four o¡¯clock meeting on the books already. ¡°Do you have any other time that works for you?¡± she asked.

    He chuckled. ¡°Still as busy as ever, huh?¡± She turned to look back at him, and he looked at her with a boyish smile on his face. ¡°I¡¯m also pretty booked up for the day, so it would be alright with you to meet at five? We can try to keep it short.¡±

    Daphne felt her heart flutter when he called the two of them a ¡°we.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± she said, grinning back.

    ¡°Would you be interested in maybe getting some dinner afterwards?¡± he asked, raising one dark eyebrow.

    Daphne heard herself giggle. She couldn¡¯t keep the dopey smile off of her face. ¡°That would be nice,¡± she agreed.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll plan for that then,¡± he said, a foolish grin plastered to his own face.

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°See you then.¡±

    ¡°See you then,¡± Asher replied, his eyes meeting her own, and not letting go easily.

    Finally, it seemed as though he was able to pry his eyes away from hers, and he smiled and left her cubicle. Daphne¡¯s eyes followed him as he walked over to his own cubicle. He looked back through the panes of clear plastic, and their eyes met again for a brief moment. Daphne felt her face heat up, and she looked away, back to her work.

    She heard a crash from the cubicle that Landon sat in, and she stood up to make sure he was okay. She noticed that the look on his face was frustrated, and he was glancing over in the direction of Asher.

    ¡°Everything okay?¡± Daphne asked.

    She saw his jaw clench tightly. ¡°Everything is fine,¡± he replied shortly.

    She slowly lowered herself back into her seat. Did he overhear our conversation? Her stomach started to form knots. Who am I kidding? Of course he did.

    She shook her head and sighed, her heart feeling heavy under the weight of Landon¡¯s feelings. I wish he hadn¡¯t developed feelings for me in the first place. How difficult. She chewed on her lower lip. If I don¡¯t want to put my friendship with Landon at risk, Asher and I will need to be more discrete in the office in the future.

    She pulled open the instant messenger and sent Landon a message.

    Are you sure you¡¯re okay? She wrote and hit send.

    She attempted to go back to her work, but she kept getting distracted by Landon¡¯s lack of reply. Eventually, she noticed that he had switched on do not disturb mode.

    Daphne¡¯s heart sunk in her chest. Damnit. She sighed. Why couldn¡¯t we just be good friends?

    Her heart ached at the thought that she may lose one of her close colleagues.

    Looking back up at at Asher through the plexiglass calmed her a little. He¡¯s worth it though.

 Chapter 39

    ¡°We¡¯re going here¡­?¡± Daphne asked, raising her eyebrows at the five star hotel in front of them.

    Not only am I way underdressed, but did I perhaps misjudge him? She looked down at her business casual clothes. There was a thread that had long since been pulled out right over belly button, and her pants were in desperate need of a hemming.

    Asher let out a laugh. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think,¡± he said, holding his hands up. ¡°My friend is the owner of the restaurant inside. I figured if I was going to treat you to dinner again, I might as well treat you to the best of the best.¡±

    Daphne felt the tension in her shoulders loosen. ¡°Oh,¡± she replied, letting out a heavy breath. ¡°The restaurant. Of course.¡± She turned and looked at him, a grimace forming on her face. ¡°But aren¡¯t I a bit underdressed for that?¡± she suggested.

    He grabbed one of her hands, intertwining his fingers between hers. ¡°If you¡¯re underdressed, than so am I,¡± he said. He gestured to his outfit with his freehand. His outfit was probably most accurately described as comfortable business casual. He wore a button up shirt with no tie, and slacks that looked closer to colored jeans than true dress pants.

    She nodded sharply at him. ¡°Right,¡± she said. Her heart was running wild with the sensation of their fingers touching.

    Hopefully my hands aren¡¯t too sweaty.

    ¡°Andr¨¦ is one of my oldest friends,¡± he informed her as he gently tugged on her hand, pulling her towards the hotel. ¡°And I¡¯ve always introduced all of the women I was considering dating to him before I committed,¡± Asher told her as they entered the lobby.

    She looked over at him puzzled. ¡°Why?¡± she asked.

    Asher smirked. ¡°Andr¨¦ claims he can smell crazy,¡± he joked. He chuckled a little. ¡°But you¡¯ll see why,¡± he replied.

    They walked up to the restaurant, and Asher promptly told the hostess that they had a reservation. They were quickly escorted to their table and handed the menus.

    Her heart thudded in her chest, unsure of what to expect from either Asher or Andr¨¦.

    I hate tests like this. She scanned the menu, the pressure growing in her stomach. There were no prices on the menu, increasing the weight in her belly. Asher may come from money, but that doesn¡¯t mean I should just blow all of it.

    She looked up at him, reading his own copy of the menu. She studied him closely. She couldn¡¯t help but pout at him, despite the swirling emotions inside of her. At the end of the day, she was just happy to spend time with him.

    ¡°I missed you,¡± she murmured. ¡°It¡¯s been hellish the past couple of weeks, not seeing you at all.¡±

    Asher looked at her over the edge of his menu, and she noticed the color of his cheeks deepening. His brown eyes met hers. ¡°I missed you too,¡± he murmured softly. ¡°It felt like forever.¡±

    The waiter came up and took their orders. She noticed that Asher had completely put his phone away. It wasn¡¯t even on the table. She followed suit, grateful that he wasn¡¯t the type to be glued to his phone.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, but your card has been declined,¡± the hostess loudly exclaimed at the front of the restaurant. Daphne wrinkled her brows.

    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± a man¡¯s voice asked. ¡°Regurgitate the food?¡± He sighed heavily. ¡°That¡¯s the only card I have. My wife must have maxed it out again.¡±

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t let you leave the restaurant without paying,¡± the hostess replied sharply.

    Daphne bit her bottom lip, overhearing the conversation. She looked over at Asher, who¡¯s brows also seemed to be furrowed.

    Daphne waved down their waiter as the racket at the front of the restaurant continued. ¡°How much is that gentleman¡¯s bill?¡± she asked, gesturing to the front of the store.

    ¡°It¡¯s sixty-six dollars, ma¡¯am,¡± the waiter replied with a smile.

    Daphne chewed on her lip. That¡¯s kind of expensive. Can I really afford to cover someone else¡¯s bill after my shopping trip with Holly?

    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Asher asked. Daphne looked at him. He was looking at her pensively.

    ¡°I guess I¡¯m just not sure what happens if you can¡¯t pay your bill at a restaurant,¡± she admitted. ¡°So, I was thinking about paying his bill for him, and if I could afford it,¡± she said, gesturing over towards the man at the entrance with the hostess.

    Asher¡¯s face blossomed into a smile. He looked over at the water. ¡°Tell Andr¨¦ she passed the test.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the waiter said with a small bow and a cat-like smile on his face.

    Daphne¡¯s jaw dropped as she watched the waiter walk away. ¡°That was Andr¨¦¡¯s test?¡± she asked.

    Asher chuckled, his laugh deeper than usual. ¡°It was,¡± he replied. ¡°It¡¯s a test to make sure you¡¯re not just after me for money,¡± he said. ¡°As I figured you would, you passed with flying colors.¡±

    Daphne blushed, wringing her hands under the edge of the table. ¡°That wasn¡¯t as bad as I thought.¡±

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    Asher¡¯s smile widened. ¡°I told you it wouldn¡¯t be. You didn¡¯t seem like the type.¡±

    Daphne looked over at Andr¨¦, who saluted Asher before disappearing back into the kitchen.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always just wanted to be self-sufficient,¡± Daphne replied with a small smile. ¡°All I wanted was to get away from my family and find happiness.¡±

    Asher looked at her quizzically. ¡°Are you not on good terms with your family?¡± he asked.

    Daphne shrugged. ¡°We were on worse terms before recently, but no, otherwise.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°My mother passed away some time ago,¡± he said.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°My father also passed away a couple of years ago.¡±

    Asher nodded. ¡°I was never a really big fan of my father, especially with how he treated my mother. But I¡¯ve been working closely with him lately.¡±

    She nodded and then turned her head off to the side a little. ¡°It¡¯s the same with my mother,¡± she said. ¡°She treated my father terribly. It was never something I could get over with her.¡±

    He nodded, his eyes meeting hers, filled with melancholy.

    In her stomach, Daphne suspected that Asher might be someone who could understand the pain she felt with her mother. I¡¯ve never met anyone who could understand the painful parts of my life.

    ¡°You said you¡¯ve been working closely with your father lately,¡± Daphne said, turning the conversation back to Asher. ¡°Is that why you¡¯ve been so busy lately?¡±

    Asher nodded. ¡°It is,¡± he said. ¡°My father is getting ready to retire.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize he was that old,¡± she said.

    ¡°He¡¯s not,¡± Asher replied, pursing his lips. ¡°But he seems really busy and distracted these days. I think he may have found a new woman.¡± He sighed and shook his head. ¡°All that to say, he has been training me to take over his position.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s mouth fell open again a little. Her heart sunk in her chest. I guess it is almost that time when he quit before.

    ¡°Oh,¡± she murmured. ¡°I see.¡±

    Asher nodded, looking sad. ¡°So, I am thinking that I will likely be quitting soon. I suspect it will be right around Thanksgiving.¡±

    Daphne pressed her lips together hard, and nodded slightly. Her heart sunk into her chest further, and her stomach started to get twisted up. ¡°That¡¯s soon, then,¡± she said.

    I hope he doesn¡¯t leave before we get a chance to define¡­whatever this is.

    ¡°Are you disappointed?¡± Asher asked, his face earnest.

    ¡°A little,¡± Daphne admitted with a small, nervous laugh. ¡°I really enjoy getting to see you at work,¡± she added. ¡°It feels like my day is a brighter when I get a chance to see you.¡±

    Asher¡¯s ears turned red, and he looked at the table, a cute grin tugging at the corners of his lips. ¡°I feel the same,¡± he murmured.

    It was Daphne¡¯s turn to redden. ¡°I hate that you¡¯re leaving,¡± she muttered.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been talking about leaving yourself, though,¡± Asher pointed out, his eyes meeting hers. ¡°So it was bound to happen eventually, One of us was going to leave.¡±

    Daphne pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows, nodding. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she said. ¡°But I hope you know I¡¯m looking for a different job because I can¡¯t stand Trevor. Not because I don¡¯t like seeing you at work.¡±

    Asher chuckled. ¡°How could I not know that?¡± he asked. ¡°How is all of that going anyway? Have you gotten any interviews?¡±

    Daphne shook her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t really gotten contacted at all,¡± she replied, twirling her fork around on the table. ¡°With the exception of a few rejections here and there.¡±

    Asher frowned, his eyebrows drawn together. ¡°That¡¯s really surprising,¡± he said. ¡°I figured someone would want to snatch someone of your caliber right up.¡±

    Daphne shrugged as the waiter came up with their food, gently placing the plates down in front of each of them. ¡°Anything else I can get the both of you?¡± the waiter asked.

    ¡°No thanks,¡± Asher said with a polite smile. ¡°We¡¯ll let you know if we need anything.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± the waiter replied. ¡°Enjoy.¡±

    He walked away, and Daphne picked up her fork, looking back at Asher. He let out a deep breath. ¡°What would you think about coming and working for me?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Daphne asked, putting a forkful of her food into her mouth as he asked the question. Her heart stuttered in her chest.

    I never even considered that I might be able to work for the Hawthorne Company.

    Asher was biting his lower lip in the corner. Cute.

    ¡°We have a project manager team that could use someone as capable and dependable as you,¡± he said. ¡°Plus you wouldn¡¯t be required to work super long hours, and you wouldn¡¯t be overloaded with project work.¡± His smile was stretching across his face, looking more and more gleeful. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have to deal with Fiona either.¡±

    Daphne swallowed her food, still surprised by his offer. ¡°But what if people found out the nature of our relationship?¡± she asked. ¡°Then it¡¯s going to look like you gave me a position just because you like me, isn¡¯t it?¡± She pressed her lips together tightly to stifle the smile she could feel growing. She was happy he had offered in the first place.

    ¡°Even if that¡¯s true, you¡¯re competent enough that I¡¯d offer you a job even if I didn¡¯t have feelings for you. You¡¯re competent enough to blow any rumors like that out of the water.¡±

    She let the smile blossom across her face. ¡°Thank you for the opportunity,¡± she said.

    ¡°Would it still be alright if you interviewed with the team?¡± Asher asked. ¡°I just want to make sure that it¡¯s at lest less likely you will be seen as a biased hire, even if our¡­relationship¡­were to become public. Plus, I¡¯m sure the manager over that space will insist on it.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Daphne said with a nod. ¡°I think I¡¯d prefer it that way anyway.¡±

    Her heart felt lighter in her chest. We may not be working in the same department anymore, but there¡¯s at least an opportunity that we¡¯ll get to see one another at work. Her heart started to balloon in her chest at the thought.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Asher said, taking his phone out of his pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll set up the time and let you know.¡±

    He wrote a few things on the screen before the phone slipped back into his pants pocket. Daphne let out a breath she hadn¡¯t even realized she had been holding. He is nothing like Gary. What a relief.

    She continued eating, considering who else she might be leaving to follow Asher to his company. Holly and Landon¡­ What will happen to them? She remembered how upset Landon seemed earlier that day. I¡¯m sure me leaving will make that friendship hard to continue. It¡¯s already hard enough to continue because of his feelings for me.

    She swallowed hard, thinking of Holly. I promise to do everything I can to maintain a friendship with her. I really enjoy the time I spend with her.

    In spite of all of the positive changes that were coming into her life, she felt a pit growing in her stomach. With how much things have changed, it¡¯s hard to know what is going to be coming next. Will the killer still be after me, even if I leave the company?

    She swallowed hard and looked at Asher again. His eyebrows were drawn close together, and he was studying her closely. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked.

    Daphne nodded. ¡°I was just thinking about how sad it will be to leave Holly,¡± she answered.

    Asher nodded. ¡°It seems you both have gotten close.¡±

    Daphne smiled, forlorn. ¡°We have,¡± she agreed.

    Even if I don¡¯t know what¡¯s coming, there is one thing I do know for sure.

    ¡°After we¡¯re done eating, would you like to go on a walk with me?¡± Asher asked, a smile growing on his face again.

    ¡°That sounds lovely,¡± Daphne replied, smiling back. Her heart warmed, skipping beats in her chest.

    I¡¯m happy. I¡¯m happier than I think I¡¯ve ever been.

    She felt a grin on her face as she took another bite of food, her heart aglow in her chest. I could get used to this.

 Chapter 40

    Daphne pulled her coat tightly around her chest. Though it was only early November, the air was beginning to freeze as soon as the sun went down. The gentle breeze stung Daphne¡¯s hands. I should have brought gloves this morning.

    She looked up at the trees, which only had a few leaves hanging onto their branches, as the couple meandered down the path near the river. Though the pathway in this park was much closer to the river the flow of the river was still nearly silent.

    She let out a puff of air, which was clouded up around her face. She looked up at Asher who was looking at her. He captured her hand with ease and suddenly Daphne was grateful she¡¯d forgotten her gloves. As his fingers intertwined with hers, she felt her heart picking up in her chest.

    Hopefully he won¡¯t feel my pulse. Her face started to redden in the twilight.

    ¡°You¡¯re really tall,¡± she said, trying to distract herself from the swirl of emotions starting up within her from his touch.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that just mean that you¡¯re really short?¡± he shot back with a chuckle.

    Daphne pursed her lips and glared at him with amusement. ¡°I¡¯m actually the average height for a woman,¡± she informed him.

    ¡°Mm, that¡¯s surprising that women are, on average, so much shorter than me,¡± he said.

    ¡°How tall are you?¡± she asked, stopping to look at the difference between them in height. Asher had almost a whole head on her.

    ¡°I¡¯m six foot one,¡± he answered, a smile inching onto his face.

    ¡°So taller than average,¡± Daphne replied, starting to walk again. One of Asher¡¯s strides equaled two to three of hers. ¡°That means you¡¯re the tall one; I¡¯m not the short one.¡±

    Asher laughed a little, his breath puffing up in the air like smoke.

    ¡°Hey, I think I may have remembered the merry-go-round memory you were talking about at the sandwich shop,¡± Daphne said, looking up at Asher.

    He covered his face, with the exception of his eyes, with his free hand. Cute.

    ¡°Which merry-go-round memory are you talking about?¡± he asked.

    ¡°There was more than one?¡± Daphne asked, widening her eyes.

    ¡°There were lots,¡± he murmured.

    ¡°Mm, well¡­ The one I remembered is when Rose got angry at you for feeding me some of the food your grandfather brought and she told you that you should just marry me,¡± Daphne said.

    Asher turned away from her, looking at the ground. In the darkness, Daphne could just barely make out his ears growing redder.

    ¡°Is that the one you were referring to at the sandwich place?¡± Daphne asked, drawing closer to him, in hopes of seeing his face. Her shoulder bumped into his arm, and she felt her heart nearly stop at the contact.

    ¡°No,¡± he replied, his voice soft.

    Daphne felt her heart drop. ¡°Oh,¡± she replied.

    ¡°You remembered the merry-go-round event that was the most embarrassing one for me,¡± he replied, peeking over his shoulder at her.

    Daphne laughed out loud. ¡°That¡¯s the most embarrassing one, huh?¡± she asked. ¡°What about it was so embarrassing?¡±

    ¡°Are you intending to mortify me?¡± Asher asked, his voice shaky, but playful.

    Daphne couldn¡¯t help but giggle again. ¡°I¡¯m just curious about you,¡± she replied. She looked over at him and noticed the tips of his ears were bright, flaming red, peeking out from the collar of his long black coat that he had his face buried into.

    I never would have expected this behavior from someone like Asher. Daphne¡¯s heart was soaring in her chest. He¡¯s so freaking cute.

    ¡°You¡¯re curious about me, huh?¡± Asher asked, his voice muffled. ¡°Fine.¡± He turned his head to look back at her, the color obvious on his cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s the most embarrassing because I thought you were pretty and that¡¯s why I was defending you from Rose.¡±

    It was Daphne¡¯s turn for her face to heat up. She, herself, had to turn away and look at the ground. ¡°You really felt like a savior to me in that moment,¡± she murmured.

    ¡°It was the start of my first crush ever,¡± Asher replied in a low voice. Daphne was barely able to make out his words, but her heart skipped a beat at their content.

    I was his first crush.

    His words extended the burning on her face. ¡°What else happened then?¡± she asked, trying to distract herself, again, from his actions and her internal reaction to them.

    ¡°We met at that merry-go-round a lot that summer,¡± Asher said. Daphne glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He was looking up at the sky dreamily. ¡°Every time there was a competition, we played together.¡±

    Daphne felt her heart sink a little in her chest. It¡¯s a shame I basically don¡¯t remember any of that summer.

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    ¡°I don¡¯t remember any more of them,¡± she replied, frowning and looking back at Asher.

    His eyes met hers and he nodded. ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± he said. She interpreted his drawn eyebrows as disappointment, nonetheless, and her guts twisted around in her stomach.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just the memories of you that I don¡¯t have,¡± she swiftly insisted. ¡°I¡¯m missing a lot of my memories from my childhood.¡±

    He smiled a little and shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about it,¡± he replied.

    Daphne looked ahead at the pavement in front of them, biting her lip. She struggled to trust his words. Just go with it, she instructed herself in spite of the pit inside of her.

    ¡°What was your favorite memory from back then?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It was the last time I saw you at the merry-go-round,¡± he replied, looking back up at the sky.

    Daphne frowned a little. ¡°Why is that your favorite memory?¡±

    He chuckled a little. ¡°That was the time that little Daphne admitted she liked me,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Oh God,¡± Daphne replied, covering her face with her free hand.

    I must have been such an impulsive child. Why would I have done something like that?

    Asher laughed. ¡°You were definitely bolder than you are these days.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s putting it mildly,¡± Daphne muttered to herself.

    ¡°I¡¯ll never forget that moment, though,¡± Asher said ¡°It was the first time something like that had happened to me.¡± He shook his head, a smile still on his lips. ¡°Every year after that, I kept checking for you at the merry-go-round, but you never came back.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart sank in her chest a little, thinking of all of the time that Asher had probably spent waiting for her to come. How would things have turned out if I had gone back to the competition with my parents across the rest of those years?

    ¡°Us kids were only brought that first year,¡± Daphne said with a nostalgic nod. She looked up at the sky, noticing that the first stars were beginning to make themselves visible. ¡°It really annoyed my mother to have us all there and the next year, my oldest brother Cypress was old enough to watch all of us, except for Viola. Viola went everywhere my mom went for years.¡±

    She looked back over at Asher, and met his gaze. ¡°What a simple explanation,¡± he said, closing his eyes and shaking his head. ¡°I wish I had thought of it back then.¡± He sighed, letting out a puff of air between their faces. ¡°I was always disappointed year after year when you didn¡¯t show up, over and over again.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Daphne said, drawing her eyebrows downward. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice in the matter at all.¡±

    Asher laughed a little. ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± he said.

    It was a time before my mother had completely beaten me down. She chewed on her tongue a little. But I suppose if I was capable of it once before, I may still have that type of strength inside me still. Hopefully.

    ¡°Thinking back,¡± Asher continued, ¡°I feel that you gave me a lot of hope that you would, and would things would get tough, I found strength in your willingness to stand up to Rose.¡± He grimaced a little. ¡°She¡¯s always been such a brat. I figured if you had the strength to stand up to my older sister, then I could have the strength to get through whatever I was dealing with.¡±

    So Rose is the older of the twins. Interesting.

    ¡°You impacted my life back then more than I thought you did,¡± Asher finished, looking sheepish. He stopped walking, and Daphne turned around to look at him. He gently pulled her forward, into an embrace.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad that you found strength in my actions back then, so that you could make it to this point,¡± Daphne murmured as he wrapped his arms around her, and she wrapped her arms around him.

    He was warm, the heat radiating through is coat. The woodsy, clean scent that she had caught whiffs of from time to time filled her nostrils, and she had to hold herself back from taking a deep breath of it.

    ¡°More than that,¡± Asher said, ¡°I¡¯m glad that we ended up finding our way back to one another. It took a long time, but here we are.¡± His arms tightened around her, pulling her closer.

    She looked up at him, her heart thrumming in her chest, filling her ears with its sound. He was looking down at her, a cute smile touching his lips. He brought his face down to hers, and her eyes fluttered shut. She felt his lips gently graze her own, and her heart sped up even further.

    The moment was brief, and he gently took a small step away from her.

    I want more. But I¡¯m also worried my heart is going to fly out of my chest.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad we found each other again, too,¡± Daphne said, a goofy grin spreading across her face, against her will.

    He smiled down at her, a softer smile than his typical one. ¡°How lucky I am to have won over my first crush,¡± he said.

    Daphne felt her face warming again at his words. How lucky I am, to get to see all these unique sides of him.

    She giggled, unable to hide her face from him. ¡°Even if we weren¡¯t each other¡¯s first crush,¡± she said, ¡°I would still feel lucky to be with you right now.¡±

    Asher laughed with his mouth open, looking at the sky. A black curl landed in front of his ear, and Daphne reached up to tuck it behind his ear. ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± she murmured.

    He pulled her closer again, this time, placing his chin on her shoulder. His breath was soft against her ear, and she felt her own breath hitch and the sound. ¡°What are you doing this weekend?¡± he asked.

    Daphne felt like she could hardly breathe with how close to her face he was. She was more aware of her body, and all of the places his presence was intertwining with her own.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any plans,¡± she admitted, her voice breathy.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the theme park on Saturday, then,¡± Asher said, his voice close to her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m caught up for now,¡± he replied, bringing his lips close to her neck. She was holding onto his body for dear life. If she let go, she knew that she¡¯d melt into a puddle right on the sidewalk. ¡°Besides,¡± Asher added, ¡°I can always make time for you.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± she replied, her voice coming out even more airy than before.

    Daphne¡¯s heart was warm and light in her chest. More time with Asher? I can hardly wait.

    ~

    Asher had picked Daphne up outside of her apartment. She could still hardly believe that there were any amusement parks open in November, even after much reassurance from Asher, but they also had to drive an hour and a half to get to the closest one that was open. She¡¯d spent a great deal of the car ride laughing and even found out that Asher had a similar taste in music to her.

    As Asher had paid for their tickets into the front gate, Daphne noticed a sign that suggested the rides that were open during the winter were limited, and were only operating when the weather permitted it. Thank goodness it hasn¡¯t snowed yet then. She smiled at the sign, and the open blue sky above them.

    ¡°Ah, I just realized that I should have asked you if you like amusement parks before I just brough you here,¡± Asher said, his eyes widening, his lips thinning.

    Daphne couldn¡¯t resist a laugh. ¡°You only just thought of that?¡± she asked, gently poking him in the shoulder.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he murmured.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re in luck,¡± she told him. ¡°I really like theme parks a lot. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been to one, too.¡±

    Asher let out a heavy breath, rolling his eyes up to the sky. ¡°Oh good,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m glad I get to bring you to one this time.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s eyebrows raised and she cocked her head a little to the left. This time? What does he mean by that?

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to this ride first,¡± Asher said, pointing up at a tame looking rollercoaster. ¡°It will be a nice warm up for the day.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Daphne replied with a bright smile.

    He must have meant that he wanted to bring me to an amusement park when we were younger. That¡¯s the only thing that makes sense.

 Chapter 41

    They loaded up into the rollercoaster cart, as the lines were much shorter than Daphne was used to. Asher intertwined their fingers together again. Daphne¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He¡¯s very comfortable with grabbing my hand. I don¡¯t know that I¡¯ve ever had a man want to hold my hand as much as Asher.

    ¡°Promise me,¡± he murmured into her ear, sending shivers down her spine at his proximity. ¡°That if I scream, you won¡¯t judge me.¡±

    She turned to look at him, and they were nearly close enough to kiss. Her heart jumped in her chest. She tried to focus on his eyes, and saw the flecks of green in them as the sun peeked through the clouds, lighting up his eyes.

    ¡°I promise I won¡¯t judge you as long as you don¡¯t judge me if I scream,¡± she whispered.

    ¡°I promise,¡± he replied, his eyes fixating on her lips.

    She felt her face heating up, and turned away from him. I have it bad for this man. And he¡¯s got it equally bad for me.

    The ride started, and the car started climbing the incline. Asher¡¯s hand started gripping her¡¯s tighter and tighter. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. There was a little bit of perspiration dotting his brow. She cocked her head a little to the side as the coaster flew down the incline. Other passengers whooped and cheered at the acceleration. Asher closed his eyes and released some of the tightness he had been putting around her fingers.

    Don¡¯t tell me¡­he¡¯s afraid of rollercoasters?

    They started up an even steeper incline, and the tightness of his hand interlocking hers increased again. They reached the peak, and her breath felt like it was being ripped from her as they descended, for a variety of reasons.

    I shouldn¡¯t assume. Her heart was pounding wildly. But if he genuinely is comforted by squeezing my hand¡­

    She could have sworn her heart was going to fly right out of her mouth as the coaster dropped them off another incline.

    The ride only lasted a few minutes total, and she took stock of Asher as they got back onto the ground. He looked a touch pale, and his hair was tussled wildly all over the place.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked him, raising her eyebrows.

    He looked at her and smiled wanly. ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± he replied. ¡°Are you ready for another one?¡±

    She frowned, inspecting him closely. ¡°Are you ready for another one?¡± she asked back. ¡°You don¡¯t look so great.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Asher replied, his smile widening, but still looking forced.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± Daphne said, looking sideways at him.

    ¡°No, no,¡± Asher insisted, grasping her shoulders and spinning her towards the next rollercoaster. ¡°We came here to ride the coasters.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Daphne replied, sneering a bit at his actions. ¡°But you let me know if it becomes too much.¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Asher conceded, all but confirming Daphne¡¯s suspicions were correct.

    They got on the next rollercoaster, and just as they crested the first slope, Daphne¡¯s hand was being crushed again.

    She laughed a little, amused by his insistence in hiding his discomfort. Why did I never take the time to do things like this in the past? I wonder if I had gone to an amusement park with Gary if I would have seen the side I didn¡¯t like about him sooner rather than later.

    Her heart soared in her throat as the coaster started down the incline that nearly looked straight down.

    She couldn¡¯t breathe, and she screamed a little, then looked over at Asher, who was smiling a little at her.

    They rode a couple of additional coasters, including one that had a loop, which had made both Daphne and Asher scream a bit. Though the paleness of his cheeks hadn¡¯t fully gone away, he at least seemed to be enjoying himself.

    They stopped by one of the food stands, though there were only a couple of them open. She¡¯d grabbed a picnic table for them to sit at, as he¡¯d waited for the food they¡¯d ordered.

    Daphne sighed at her past self, the heavy weight of her past, and her regrets pushing her shoulders down. What if I hadn¡¯t gotten a second chance? I would have died without having had so much fun on a date. She looked up at Asher, who was walking over to her, a grin on his face. I would have died without having the opportunity to experience having such a fun time with this man. Without getting to experience what it feels like to go on a date with someone who likes me as much as Asher does.

    He placed the corn dog she ordered in front of her. The cheesy fries they¡¯d opted to share were placed between them.

    She gently touched the corn dog¡¯s outer shell to see how hot it was. It burned her fingers a little. Too hot to eat. She pulled her hand away quickly.

    ¡°Are you having fun?¡± Asher asked, his voice warm.

    She looked up at him, the food steaming between the two of them. ¡°I¡¯m having a lot more fun than I expected to,¡± she admitted.

    He chuckled a little, the goofy grin he had been sporting on the way to their table blooming across his face. ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m really glad to hear that.¡±

    ¡°What about you?¡± she asked, picking up her corn dog. ¡°Are you having fun?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± he replied. ¡°Especially since I came here with you.¡±

    Daphne let out a small breath, a smile brightening her own face at his words. It¡¯s impossible to not smile around him.

    ¡°I feel the same,¡± she replied after swallowing her bite.

    I feel like he¡¯s leading into something with this date. She scrutinized him closely. I hope we finally make things official today.

    ¡°Did you ever get to go to an amusement park as a kid?¡± he asked.

    Daphne shook her head. ¡°No,¡± she replied. ¡°There are five kids in my family, and I think it probably would have been very difficult for my parents to keep track of us.¡± She shook her head, smirking. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that uncommon for one of us to get left behind somewhere, and it was most often me,¡± she said, frowning a little.

    ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t realize there were five of you,¡± Asher replied. ¡°I only remember four.¡±

    Daphne nodded. ¡°There were four of us for the longest time. It would have been the summer that we met at the merry-go-round that my mother got pregnant with Viola.¡±

    Asher nodded. ¡°So, she¡¯s quite a bit younger than you, too.¡±

    Daphne nodded. ¡°Almost nine years,¡± she said. Their fingers met for a brief moment, both of them grabbing for fries. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Asher said, pulling his hand back, and gesturing towards the carton.

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    ¡°Sorry,¡± Daphne said, her face heating up.

    It¡¯s not like he hasn¡¯t touched my hand before. Why am I still blushing?

    Before long, the food was gone, and Asher cleaned up the use cartons and napkins. ¡°Since we just ate, should we take it easy on the next few rides?¡± Daphne asked, walking up to him.

    He captured her hand once more, her heart fluttering at the contact. ¡°That sounds good to me,¡± he said. ¡°Let me know if it¡¯s too much.¡±

    ¡°Same to you,¡± she said. ¡°How about that one next?¡± Daphne asked, pointing at a ride that shot up into the air, before pausing and dropping nearly down to the level where people could get on and off.

    Daphne heard Asher loudly swallow, and she looked over at him, one eyebrow raised. ¡°Sure,¡± he replied, his voice tight, and losing some of the warmth that it typically had in it.

    ¡°You don¡¯t sound as though you are super into that ride,¡± Daphne replied, frowning a little. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re going to be okay with it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Asher replied, reassuring her with a dismissive wave of his hand.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Daphne replied, linking her arm through his, her heart jumping a little in her chest. ¡°But let me know if you end up changing your mind.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Asher promised with a tight lipped smile.

    They boarded the ride, and Asher wove their fingers together again, and gently squeezed her hand. She looked over at him and smiled.

    ¡°I really like holding your hand,¡± he told her. ¡°It¡¯s reassuring.¡±

    Daphne giggled a little, her heart expanding in her chest. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Really,¡± he said with a lopsided smile.

    The ride began, slowly lifting them upwards towards the top, bouncing up and down as they went. When the ride dropped quickly, Asher squeezed her hand firmly.

    Daphne narrowed her eyes, looking at their interwoven hands. He¡¯s afraid.

    They reached the top of the tower, and the ride dropped rapidly, and Asher let out an ear piecing shriek.

    Daphne did her best to turn away from him because she couldn¡¯t hold back a giggle, in spite of how tightly he was squeezing her hand and fingers.

    I promised not to judge him, and here I am, laughing.  Her stomach twisted a little. It¡¯s hard not to, though. He¡¯s just so adorable.

    The ride dropped them a few more times, and Asher did not let out any more sound. He kept squeezing her hand though. She looked over at him, and noticed that he was gritting his teeth. Simultaneously, it also seemed as though he had a slight smile on his face.

    Or maybe he¡¯s just a masochist?

    Finally, the ride ended, and Daphne looked at their hands again, and noticed that Asher¡¯s knuckles had blanched of all their usual color. One way or another, he was literally white knuckling it on this ride. No wonder he asked me not to judge him.

    He let go of her hands as they got off the ride, and as soon as they were in a less crowded spot, she leaned close to him and asked, ¡°Are you afraid of heights?¡±

    She saw his Adam¡¯s apple bob up and down a few times. He looked down at her, a slight smile on his face. ¡°You caught me,¡± he murmured.

    ¡°You know I don¡¯t mind not going on the rides that make you scared, right?¡± she asked, raising her eyebrows and narrowing her eyes.

    She couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit guilty for laughing at him while they had been up in the air. It may have been because he was cute, but I shouldn¡¯t have done that.

    He shook his head at her comment, his smile widening. ¡°Are you enjoying yourself?¡± he asked.

    She grimaced a little. ¡°Honestly, I am,¡± she admitted.

    ¡°Then I¡¯m fine,¡± he said, taking her hand again. ¡°I want to enjoy the rides you enjoy.¡±

    She sighed, narrowing her eyes at him even more. ¡°If it makes your experience a miserable one, I don¡¯t want you forcing yourself to ride the ones I¡¯m enjoying.¡±

    Asher frowned a bit. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make any experience miserable, though,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m enjoying myself because I get to be with you, and see what you enjoy.¡±

    Daphne glared at him, and then gently jabbed her elbow into him. ¡°Fine,¡± she muttered. ¡°But let me know if it ever becomes too much for you. I don¡¯t want you to have a bad time just so I can have a good time.¡±

    ¡°I promise I¡¯ll let you know,¡± he replied with a chuckle.

    They rode a couple more rides before Daphne noticed that Asher had gone pale, and this time, she insisted that they take a break by going to the gift shop.

    They found a stand with animal ear headbands, with ears from all of the animals that were a part of the characters for the theme park. Daphne picked up a headband that had enormous elephant ears and put it on her head. The weight of the ears pulled the headband down, nearly over her eyes, which set Asher off into a tizzy of laughter.

    ¡°Why manufacture it if it¡¯s barely useable?¡± Daphne asked, giggling as she pulled the headband off her face.

    Asher picked up a pair that had giraffe ossi-cones on it and put it on. Daphne giggled at him, the yellow of the headband in stark contrast to his hair. ¡°You look more like a bee than a giraffe,¡± she told him.

    Asher started buzzing at her and gently poked her arm with one of his fingers. ¡°I stung you,¡± he said, grinning.

    Daphne chuckled before picking up a pair of black cat ears on a headband. She put them on, and Asher let out a dramatic gasp.

    ¡°Oh, Daph, that¡¯s so you,¡± he told her as she studied herself in the mirror.

    ¡°You think so?¡± she asked, as she turned to look at him, with a smile on her face. His warm eyes were twinkling at her, and she noticed that the tips of his ears were darkening.

    ¡°I do,¡± he murmured, while picking up a headband with grey floppy dog ears. He put it onto his head.

    Daphne swore that cupid had just shot her right in the heart with an arrow. ¡°Adorable,¡± she said out loud, without thinking. Her face started to burn as she realized what she had said.

    Asher looked at the stack of the headbands on the table. ¡°You think so?¡± he asked, mirroring the words she¡¯d said only moments ago. She noticed that his face even looked pinker than usual.

    ¡°Absolutely adorable,¡± she replied, ¡°And very Asher-like.¡± His name was pleasurable to say aloud.

    ¡°Should we get these?¡± he asked, meeting her eyes.

    Daphne grinned at him. ¡°We should,¡± she said. ¡°I can buy them.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Asher replied, his face turning serious as he snatched the headband off her head, somehow managing to not pull her hair while he was at it.

    He started walking to the cashier, and Daphne followed closely behind him. ¡°What do you mean ¡®absolutely not¡¯?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯ve paid for everything else on all of the other dates we¡¯ve gone, and this one. It¡¯s time for me to pay for at least something, no?¡±

    ¡°Do you know how much trouble I would be in if my father found that I let a woman pay for anything before the sixth date?¡± he asked as he inserted his card to pay for the headbands.

    ¡°Specifically, the sixth date?¡± Daphne asked, a giggle growing in her chest.

    ¡°Specifically, the sixth date,¡± Asher confirmed. ¡°You can start paying for things after two more dates.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart fluttered. Even if we aren¡¯t official yet, things are at least going well based on that comment alone.

    ¡°Besides,¡± Asher added. ¡°I¡¯m about to inherit my father¡¯s business.¡± He handed her the cat ear headband, and put the dog ear one back on his own head as they stepped out into the park.

    Daphne laughed a little bit and sighed. ¡°That¡¯s a good point,¡± she conceded.

    She looked up at the sky and felt her heart sink in her chest. The sun was low on the horizon, signaling that the park would likely be closing soon, and their time together would be drawing to a close. I don¡¯t want this day to ever end.

    ¡°Looks like it will be closing time soon,¡± Asher observed, echoing Daphne¡¯s thoughts. ¡°You alright if we ride one ride that I like?¡±

    Daphne let out an almost silent chuckle. ¡°Of course,¡± she replied.

    He caught her hand and then began leading her towards the Ferris wheel. The operator switched on the warm, white lights as they got closer.

    ¡°The Ferris wheel?¡± she asked. ¡°Height is still involved, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°It¡¯s one I¡¯m still nervous on for sure,¡± he agreed. ¡°But it¡¯s a little less scary since it¡¯s far more enclosed than any of the other rides we¡¯ve been on today.¡±

    Daphne nodded. ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± she agreed.

    The area was deserted. ¡°This is a last call type of ride, folks,¡± the operator said as they got close.

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Asher replied. ¡°That works great for us.¡±

    The operator grunted at Asher¡¯s words, and stopped the ride, allowing them to get on.

    Daphne sat down on the bench across from Asher, her heart thrumming wildly in her chest. This feels different than all of the other rides. She looked into Asher¡¯s eyes, which were barely illuminated from the lights outside their car.

    The ride up was quiet, and Daphne could tell that Asher was feeling nervous. By the time they made it to the top, all of the people below looked like they were toy sized.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Daphne asked him, studying his face closely.

    ¡°Y-yeah, I¡¯m¡­¡± he looked as though he was choking a little, and Daphne reached across the space between them and grabbed his face to force him to look at her.

    ¡°Look at me,¡± she commanded him. ¡°Focus only on me.¡±

    A beat later, his eyes still were searching Daphne¡¯s, but she noticed that the tension in his body was starting to ease.

    ¡°I want to ask you something,¡± he whispered, his voice shaking a little.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± she asked, her heart skipping a beat.

    Is this it?

    ¡°I want to make things official,¡± he murmured. ¡°I was hoping you would be willing to be my girlfriend.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart jumped in her chest at his words, and she was nearly surprised enough to let go of his face but held it tightly once she had stabilized her emotions again.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to,¡± she whispered back.

    His eyes drifted to her lips, and she was mesmerized, being pulled into Asher¡¯s gaze and his being.

    He kissed her deeply. Her hands found their way to his hair, and his found their way to her waist, pulling her in closer. She felt his togue touch her lips, and she parted them, allowing him entrance to explore her mouth. She had to hold back a groan as all of her senses were overwhelmed with his taste, the scent of wood and laundry, and his very being. He kissed her like she¡¯d never been kissed before.

 Chapter 42

    Asher dropped a note on Daphne¡¯s desk as he walked by, heading to his own cubicle. Daphne had to hold back a giggle, to ensure she didn¡¯t call attention to herself.

    Asher and Daphne had started passing handwritten notes at work. To be entirely honest, Daphne herself wasn¡¯t even entirely sure how it began. Privately, Asher and Daphne had discussed how passing the notes was much riskier than just sending texts to one another, but Daphne couldn¡¯t deny that there was something exhilarating about passing notes to her boyfriend at work, the way she had seen other girls passing notes to their boyfriends when she had been in high school.

    There¡¯s something uniquely special about seeing Asher¡¯s words in his own handwriting. It almost feels as though I¡¯m getting to see a part of his soul.

    She gently touched the note to her nose, catching a faint whiff of the scent of the pen he had used to write it. I wonder if he smelled this scent as he wrote the words. She grinned foolheartedly.

    She unfolded the note, cherishing the anticipation of reading his words.

    You¡¯re beautiful. <3

    Daphne giggled to herself, pursing her lips in the form of a smile. She took a peek around her, to see if any of her coworkers were looking at her, and then opened her desk drawer, putting the new note on top of the other ones she¡¯d received throughout the day. Every night, she took them home and put them on her desk in her bedroom, which was a pile rapidly increasing in size.

    She looked up, straining her neck to see Asher through the plexiglass on top of the cubicle walls. Her heart fluttered at the thought of seeing her beloved.

    Asher met her eyes and grinned, and Daphne could just barely make out that the tips of his ears were pink. She smiled at him.

    Daphne reached across her desk, grabbing a sheet of the scrap paper that had eternally been building up in the corner, and ripped off a section of one of the sheets. She pulled out a pen and wrote her own note to Asher.

    The cowlick on the back of your head is adorable.

    She held back a grin, pressing her lips together hard. There was definitely no cowlick in Asher¡¯s hair.

    She folded the scrap of paper in half, and stood, walking around to the other side of the cubicles. She barely touched Asher¡¯s desk as she walked by, but ensured that the note was firmly placed on his desk as she finished walking over to Holly¡¯s desk.

    Holly wore a confused look as Daphne walked up and stopped. ¡°Hey, Daphne,¡± Holly said. ¡°What¡¯s up? Do you need help with something?¡±

    Daphne glanced over at Asher¡¯s desk, and noticed that he had already grabbed the note.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Daphne said. ¡°I was actually just coming over her to see if you needed ay help with anything.¡± Daphne finally turned back to Holly as she finished her sentence.

    Holly had an accusatory look on her face, with her eyebrows raised and her lips pursued. ¡°You have enough work to handle,¡± Holly replied sternly. ¡°And it seems you¡¯ve got some other things on your plate as well.¡±

    Daphne giggled at Holly, before turning back to watch Asher¡¯s reaction. He had pulled open his phone and was carefully patting his dark hair looking for the cowlick. Daphne chuckled to herself.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad things worked out between the two of you,¡± Holly murmured behind Daphne.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Daphne whispered back, still watching Asher try to find the cowlick that didn¡¯t exist.

    He turned and looked at her, his eyes narrowed, but his lips smiling at her. It was a flirty glare. She batted her eyelashes at him, and he grinned. Daphne assumed he was probably laughing quietly to himself.

    Holly elbowed her. ¡°You trying to inform the office of your new relationship status?¡± she muttered.

    Truthfully, Daphne had initially worried that people at the office would catch on, and make both her and Asher¡¯s lives more difficult. But Asher had reminded her that it was only a matter of time before he was quitting and moving on to his family company.

    If he leaves, hopefully I will be out soon after him. He said he¡¯s still ironing everything out for my interview, so I¡¯m sure it¡¯s only matter of time.

    She turned back to Holly, and made a face, trying to communicate her displeasure.

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    Holly scoffed at her, before giggling a little herself. ¡°Stop slacking and flirting and get to work,¡± she commanded with a wink.

    Daphne giggled a little again, and then saluted Holly. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am!¡±

    Daphne turned back towards Asher¡¯s desk. Their eyes met, and he lifted his head a little, squiggling his eyebrows as if he wanted Daphne to drop by his desk on her way back to her own cubicle.

    ¡°See you later,¡± she murmured to Holly as she walked away.

    She strolled up near Asher¡¯s desk, where he held a note out to her. She grabbed it, clutching it in her hand in hopes of it not being discovered.

    She sat down at her cubicle, and placed the note down. She glanced at the clock. I still have some time before my next meeting.

    She looked up, and out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Landon facing her. She looked over at him, and he was grimacing, one of the sides of his lips turning upward a little.

    Daphne¡¯s stomach dropped, and she shot her head away from him, focusing on her computer monitor in front of her. Her eyes were wide. Oh no. Did Landon notice? Did he see me grab the note from Asher?

    She gently pulled her dark, fluffy hair around the sides of her face. She glanced at the note from Asher on her desk. I¡¯ll read it in a little bit. She chewed on the inside of her lower lip. If Landon is watching me closely, the risk is getting caught is much higher than I¡¯d like.

    She swallowed hard and glanced up through the plexiglass she could see Asher through. He was watching her with his head cocked and his eyebrows drawn. He¡¯s waiting for my reaction to the note.

    She pulled up the instant messenger on her screen, and opened her messages with Asher, right as he sent her one.

    ???

    Daphne sighed. I didn¡¯t want to tell Asher about how Landon confessed to me, but Landon is really leaving me with no choice. She swallowed hard, clenching her jaw and replied to Asher.

    Sorry, I will read it here in a few minutes. Landon is watching me, and I¡¯m trying to be careful. I¡¯m just being a bit more cautious because he may be able to notice.

    Hopefully that will suffice. She hit send, and looked up at Asher, watching him read her response. He caught her eye and nodded, sending her a thumbs up in the messenger.

    Daphne let out a heavy sigh, gritting her teeth. I should have just been honest with Landon in the past instead of tiptoeing around his feelings, she scolded herself. Now I¡¯ve really put myself into a situation.

    Daphne started working on the tasks ahead of her for the day. About ten minutes passed before she heard a voice behind her. ¡°Daphne,¡± Landon¡¯s voice said, tinnier than usual. ¡°Can we talk?¡±

    Daphne spun around in her chair and looked up at him. His face was sullen, and she could tell that he was clenching his jaw on one side. ¡°Sure,¡± she replied, standing.

    ¡°Follow me,¡± Landon said gruffly, gesturing to one of the small conference rooms that had no windows.

    ¡°Okay,¡± she replied, her stomach tightening a bit. Her heart sunk into her chest as they got closer to the room. This is the confrontation I tried to avoid with him from the get-go.

    They got to the room, and he opened the door, gesturing for her to enter first. She did, and he closed the door behind himself.

    Daphne¡¯s heart started speeding up. Landon isn¡¯t someone I need to be nervous about meeting in private, right? He didn¡¯t seem to hate me before I came back to the past¡­

    She looked up at him, meeting his hazel eyes. He sighed, closing them and touching his forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll just be straight with you,¡± he said. ¡°There are few things I hate more than beating around the bush.¡± He opened his eyes, and Daphne noticed that he looked a bit wounded. ¡°Is there something going on between you and Asher? Romantically?¡±

    Daphne¡¯s stomach turned, threatening to expel its contents. She tried to keep her gaze fierce. ¡°That¡¯s not really any of our business, is it?¡± she asked.

    He let out a heavy breath, his lips upturning into a sneer. ¡°You¡¯re beating around the bush again,¡± he told her. ¡°Just like you did when I asked you out.¡±

    Daphne scoffed at him and walked towards the door. ¡°I¡¯m not beating around the bush,¡± she insisted. ¡°It really is none of your business.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Landon commanded. Daphne stopped, her hand on the handle of the door. ¡°It is my business,¡± he told her. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you, giving you time to get over your ex, to see if you would be able to see me as a potential partner.¡±

    Daphne scowled and turned to look at Landon. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to do that,¡± she said. ¡°That was your choice to wait for me.¡±

    Though she was outwardly trying to be strong and firm, her insides were on fire, melting and her heart ached. I should have just been honest with him in the beginning. He¡¯s right that I¡¯ve been beating around the bush. He¡¯ll probably end up being far more hurt by actions than if I had just told him the truth in the first place.

    ¡°You might as well have asked me to wait for you,¡± Landon shot back. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me that you weren¡¯t interested in the possibility of a relationship with me at all.¡±

    Daphne chewed on her tongue. ¡°Fine, you¡¯re right,¡± she replied feistily back. ¡°I was never really interested in you in the first place. You¡¯re not my type at all. But I didn¡¯t want to hurt your feelings when you¡¯d just broken up with your girlfriend and found the courage to tell me about your feelings in the first place. On top of that, I really valued the friendship we shared and figured that probably wouldn¡¯t be salvageable if I just tore into you when you were clearly feeling vulnerable. My bad. I hope you find someone who can make you happy.¡±

    Daphne caught a glance at Landon¡¯s taken aback face as she turned and left the small conference room. Walking back to her desk, she felt her stomach cooling and tightening.

    How presumptuous of him to wait for me, she thought, trying to ease her swirling stomach. It¡¯s not like I told him there was certainly a future between the two of us.

    She sat at her desk and saw the note from Asher sitting by her mouse. She grabbed it and opened it, hoping whatever Asher had written might help her to feel a bit better.

    You¡¯re so cruel. I wish we weren¡¯t at work right now.

    Daphne smiled and dropped the note into her desk drawer with the other notes from Asher.

    She went back to her to-do list for the day, the pit in her stomach refusing to go away.

    Stupid Landon.

 Chapter 43

    Daphne hadn¡¯t talked to Landon for two days. She¡¯d hardly even looked at him, and when she had, she¡¯d quickly looked away before he noticed. Despite the tension in their relationship, Daphne¡¯s workload didn¡¯t decrease, leaving her to rely on Asher and Holly more than she really wanted to.

    Daphne sighed as she checked another thing off her to-do list for the day. This is going to take forever without Landon¡¯s help. She yanked on her hair at the ends.

    Her phone vibrated on her desk. She grabbed it, her eyes widening. A message from Asher?

    Instead, she opened a message from her mother, her heart sinking, and a frown on her face.

    Are you free tonight? Would you like to get dinner as mother and daughter?

    Ugh, it¡¯s not like her to be so cheesy. She sneered at her phone. I should just say no, but I¡¯m unfortunately available. If only Asher wasn¡¯t busy.

    She pursed her lips, considering what consequences may be ahead of her if she were to say no. It has been a couple of weeks since I heard from her. Not taking her up on this could come back to bite me in the ass, Kimberly Woods style.

    Daphne gritted her teeth. Being close with her has put me no closer to finding my killer. Maybe I should just cut her off again¡­no. I just need to be patient.

    That sounds nice, Daphne texted her mother back. When would you like to meet? I¡¯m free.

    Let¡¯s meet at the Applebottom. 6:30 sound good?

    Daphne¡¯s eyebrows raised. The Applebottom? She looked down at her shabby office clothes. I¡¯m probably underdressed. But six thirty gives me time to go home and put something more presentable on.

    That sounds good, Daphne replied.

    Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Are you planning on coming to the family Thanksgiving this year? Her mother replied right as Daphne hit send.

    What is this, an ambush? Daphne curled her upper lip. Of course she¡¯d ask me right as I agreed to have dinner with her.

    Daphne let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders raising and lowering with her breath. Do I really want to be a part of the next family function after the last one? She remembered how her older brother Cy and her mother had made the entire dinner about their joint business venture. It wasn¡¯t fun, but maybe it would be better than being alone¡­

    Her mind drifted to the Thanksgiving she¡¯d had before she came back to the past. She had gone to Gary¡¯s home, where it had been cramped with all of his mother¡¯s extended family. Daphne had ended up doing a ton of dishes and helping with the cooking, all in hopes of getting Gary¡¯s mother¡¯s favor. In the end, she hadn¡¯t gotten a chance to sit down and enjoy herself for even a moment.

    I wonder what Asher¡¯s family does for Thanksgiving. She grimaced at the thought of having to spend an extended period of time in the same space as Rose.

    Both of these options are garbage. She frowned deeply.

    I¡¯ll let you know about Thanksgiving, she replied back to her mother¡¯s text.

    Alright, Kimberly replied. But I will need to know by next week.

    Understood.

    Daphne sighed and tossed her phone onto her desk, off to the side. This day is going to suck! She ran her hands through her poofy hair, her chest tight.

    She heard her phone vibrate another time, and she grabbed it.

    Looking forward to tonight. Love you.

    Daphne rolled her eyes.

    Love you too, she texted back.

    She turned back to her desk, frowning as she heard a pair of high-heeled shoes coming up behind her.

    Daphne let out a heavy breath form her nose. Today with Fiona, too, huh?

    ¡°Hey Daphne,¡± Fiona¡¯s nasally voice said behind her. ¡°Trevor is looking for you.¡±

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    Daphne spun around in her chair and met the red head¡¯s crystal blue eyes. Daphne¡¯s head span on her shoulders, d¨¦j¨¤ vu crashing over her.

    Was Fiona¡­always the one who told me that Trevor was looking for me in the past? She studied the woman¡¯s face closely. Maybe I was wrong to think the murderer was close to Fiona. I never did consider that the murderer might even be Fiona.

    A shudder went down Daphne¡¯s spine. If it¡¯s not Fiona, then I¡¯m certain it¡¯s someone she knows. Daphne recalled the conversation Fiona had in the restroom a couple of weeks prior. She¡¯d told someone that she was trying to get Trevor to fire me. I never stopped to consider what that meant for my relationship with Fiona. I just assumed that whoever Fiona was talking to might be the killer.

    ¡°Fiona,¡± Daphne said, cocking her head off to the side a little. ¡°Do you ever wear red lipstick? I think it would look really good on you.¡±

    Fiona scowled at Daphne. ¡°Red is not my color,¡± she replied. ¡°Unless I want to look like an orange puff. I¡¯ve never owned a tube of red lipstick in my life.¡±

    ¡°What about any of your friends?" Daphne pried, her heart pounding in her chest.

    Fiona must not be the killer then.

    Fiona didn¡¯t reply, her scowl at Daphne just deepened on her face and she finished walking back to her cubicle. ¡°Trevor is looking for you,¡± she reminded Daphne from the other side of their shared cubicle wall.

    Daphne put her hand over her heart, feeling it pound underneath her rib cage as she caught a breath she hadn¡¯t even realized she was holding.

    She stood, trying to control her breathing, and peeked over the cubicle wall at Fiona. She was texting someone. ¡°I¡¯m surprised,¡± Daphne replied. Fiona looked up at her, glowering at Daphne¡¯s interruption. ¡°I figured would be your thing,¡± she added as she walked into the aisle.

    ¡°What the fuck?¡± Fiona asked fiercely. ¡°Are you trying to offend me right now?¡±

    ¡°Maybe I am, maybe I¡¯m not,¡± Daphne said, walking backwards, slowly towards Trevor¡¯s office. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know?¡±

    Daphne turned on her heel and began striding towards Trevor¡¯s office. Just as she couldn¡¯t in the restroom when she¡¯d overheard Fiona¡¯s conversation, Daphne couldn¡¯t shake the intuition that Fiona definitely knew something.

    Reaching Trevor¡¯s door, Daphne knocked. ¡°Come in,¡± his voice said.

    Daphne entered, her head starting to spin again. ¡°I heard you were asking for me,¡± she said, trying to ignore the sickening feeling growing in her head.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he said, taking his feet off the top of his desk. Daphne noticed that his monitor was dark and next to his mouse was his phone, open with a game on it, again.

    In front of her, Trevor frowned deeply and crossed his arms. ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing a lot lately from the directors of the projects that you¡¯re working on that things don¡¯t seem¡­as timely as they usually are with your work.¡±

    Daphne pursed her lips. Hmm, I wonder why that could possibly be¡­? God, what I would give to tell him that.

    ¡°I was really concerned to hear something like that about you, so I wanted to call you in and see if there was anything I could do to help.¡±

    Daphne had to fight the urge to laugh, and she pressed her lips together even tighter. So <u>now</u> he wants to help?

    She shrugged once she had choked down any inkling of a laugh. ¡°I¡¯m overloaded, sir,¡± she replied. ¡°As I¡¯ve kept trying to inform you. Of course, I haven¡¯t been able to get things done in a timely manner.¡± She nodded a few times, studying him. ¡°If you want to help, you¡¯re going to have to give someone of the projects I¡¯ve been managing to other people.¡±

    He drew his eyebrows together and slowly started shaking his head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think you understood what I was saying,¡± Trevor said. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to help you; I¡¯m trying to help the directors of your projects.¡±

    Daphne bit down on her tongue, hard, to suppress an eye roll. Ah. I should have known better than to assume that he was asking how he could help me. Trevor is not and will never be that kind of guy. No, he¡¯s the biggest ass kisser I¡¯ve ever met. That must be why he¡¯s a manager.

    ¡°Ah, my apologies for misunderstanding you then,¡± Daphne replied with a small smile. ¡°Unfortunately, with all due respect, sir, there is nothing I can do to be more timely with my projects unless you start reducing my workload.¡±

    He slammed his fist on his desk, a growl coming out of his throat. Daphne didn¡¯t even flinch. More, and more, she was realizing that Trevor¡¯s behavior had never been about her in the first place.

    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯ve stopped coming in early and leaving late,¡± Trevor said. His face was starting to change color, meaning it was only a matter of time before he exploded. ¡°Perhaps if you start doing that again until you catch up with your workload, you finally might be able to be more timely?¡±

    Daphne snorted, she couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± she replied, smirking at him. ¡°If you have no intention of lightening my workload, then I would be coming in early and leaving late indefinitely. There would be no getting ahead of the workload.¡±

    His face started to turn purple. ¡°Stay late!¡± Trevor screamed at her.

    Daphne flinched. ¡°No,¡± she replied firmly. ¡°I will only work during my allotted work hours.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re fired, then,¡± Trevor yelled, slamming his palm onto the top of his desk.

    Daphne shrugged. ¡°Go ahead, fire me then,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to sue you and the company, then, for having me work extended hours for an extended period of time.¡± She leaned on his desk, her hand flat against the top of it. ¡°Don¡¯t you think during the trial it would be fun to talk about how you¡¯ve been fooling around with one of your employees and playing favorites? I think that would make an interesting lawsuit, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Trevor¡¯s face faded from purple to red, and from red to white. Daphne¡¯s heart soared through her. He knows I¡¯ve won. He can¡¯t bully me when I could expose his secrets.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Trevor replied menacingly. ¡°Stay. But don¡¯t expect me to reduce your workload after the shit you just pulled.¡±

    Daphne shrugged. ¡°No skin off my back,¡± she replied. ¡°But don¡¯t be surprised if there continue to be directors contacting you about the timeliness of my work.¡±

    She turned and strolled out of his office. Her mouth tasted bitter from the fact that he still refused to reduce her workload. I may have just put an even bigger target on my back. Good thing I¡¯ll leave the company soon.

 Chapter 44

    Daphne saw the headlights of the truck coming towards her, and felt the impact as it hit her, feeling the crushing weight on her body, and the warmth of her sticky blood on the ground. In front of her were the yellow mums and the woman¡¯s red lipped smile.

    Daphne¡¯s eyes shot open, her body coated in a cold sweat. She touched her face, and her chest, and wiggled her toes. Her breath was coming in pants, and started slowing down as she began to notice that she was in her apartment.

    It was just a dream. She held her hand over her heart. She looked at her watch, and noticed the date. It was November ninth. I¡¯m still in the past. The accident hasn¡¯t happened yet in this timeline.

    As she calmed her heart and her breathing, a realization hit her. Her stomach dropped and her heart started picking back up as she slowly brought her watch back up to where she could see it.

    It was seven thirty, and she was supposed to have had dinner with her mother an hour earlier.

    A lump grew in Daphne¡¯s throat, and she could hardly breathe as she sat up on her couch, Tanpopo mewling at her from his hammock.

    Shit. She grabbed her phone. I¡¯m so dead. She¡¯s probably furious.

    She unlocked her phone, and notifications for several text messages and a handful of missed calls popped up. All of them were from her mother. She scrolled through them, noticing there was also a voicemail, something that made her heart jump and her stomach drop simultaneously. It was from forty-five minutes earlier¡­which was when she would have been fifteen minutes late.

    Fuck. I really screwed myself over by agreeing to this meal. It may end up being a long time before she forgives me¡­I should have never agreed to a dinner alone with her in the first place.

    Daphne pursed her lips, trying to decide what her next move should be. Mother <u>never</u> leaves voicemails. It might be best to see what she said before I try to call her and apologize.

    Daphne gulped, opening the voicemail app on her phone. Her hand wavered over the play button, and she squeezed her eyes shut until she finally had enough courage to press it.

    The recording clicked on. ¡°Are you ghosting me?¡± her mother¡¯s voice rang out into the apartment. ¡°After only a couple of short weeks as a happy family again, you¡¯ve decided to ghost me?¡± Her mother¡¯s voice was tight, and the recorded version of her let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°What did I do to deserve this treatment? I apologized to you about the past, and every time something has come up since, I¡¯ve apologized to you in the moment. Are you going to hold my behavior over my head for the rest of our lives?¡± Her mother¡¯s voice was nearly shouting through the phone at this point. ¡°I¡¯m your mother, for god¡¯s sakes!¡±

    Daphne flinched, her stomach churning from the words. She remembered how exhausted she had been from her workday as she¡¯d sat down on the couch. It was never my intention to fall asleep. But of course¡­Mother just jumps to the worst conclusion when I don¡¯t show up.

    On Daphne¡¯s phone, her mother sighed heavily into the speaker. ¡°I¡¯m leaving the applebottom. Don¡¯t worry about coming now, it¡¯s too late. I won¡¯t be there.¡± In her minds eye, Daphne could picture the look her mother may have had on her face as she¡¯d said the words. It was a huffy one, and her mother most certainly had been rolling her eyes at Daphne¡¯s perceived insolence.

    ¡°If you think you deserve forgiveness after this,¡± the recording continued, ¡°you better give me a call and explain yourself.¡±

    The recording clicked off. ¡°End of message,¡± Daphne¡¯s app informed her. She locked her phone, and put it down on the coffee table in front of her, her arms shaking. The feeling of not breathing had never fully gone away, but the pressure was clamping down harder on her in that moment. Daphne started shrinking down into her own body.

    Her heart ached. Fuck, I really messed up. She probably wouldn¡¯t have been this upset if it had been longer than a couple of weeks since we reconnected.

    A wriggling part of her mind reminded her that there was a strong potential that the opposite might be true. It was equally as plausible that her mother may have been less upset now because they only recently reconnected.

    Her behavior never makes any sense. Daphne placed her face in her hands.

    After a few moments, she let out a heavy breath and grabbed her phone. She opened the text messages from her mother, dismissing the missed phone calls in the process.

    Are you going to be late?

    Are you coming?

    Daphne? Hello?

    Pick up the phone!

    There were several more, but Daphne let her phone drop onto the couch beside her. Her stomach lurched, feeling sick from the situation.

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    She really hasn¡¯t changed. She¡¯ll probably never change. I don¡¯t know why I have to learn this lesson the hard way so many times.

    She shook her head at herself. Still, though. I¡¯d rather I had felt my cellphone going off while I was napping. Then I wouldn¡¯t have had to worry about this at all.

    It was the first time since she had come back to the past that she wished she could go back into the past one more. If only this had never happened in the first place.

    Daphne swallowed hard, steadying her breath, and grabbing her phone again. If I can find a way to fix things with Trevor, I can find a way to fix things with Mother.

    She opened up the call app, pulled up her mother¡¯s information, and wavered as her hand hovered over the call button.

    Is it worth it? What am I gaining by having my mother back in my life? I haven¡¯t gotten any happier¡­I haven¡¯t gotten any closer at finding the killer¡­

    She shook her head, trying to clear the doubts that were clouding her mind. It¡¯s only another month and a half until the day of the accident, she reminded herself. I can stick it out until then and part ways with her again once I know for sure that I¡¯m safe.

    She pursed her lips, and hit ¡°call,¡± and held the phone to her ear, the dialing sound ringing in her ear.

    Maybe she¡¯ll ignore my call because she¡¯s too upset. I can hope at least.

    On the last ring, she heard the click of someone picking up on the other side. Daphne¡¯s heart dropped.

    ¡°Explain yourself,¡± Kimberly growled through the phone.

    Daphne stood, and began pacing around her apartment. ¡°Mom,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, it was a complete accident. I didn¡¯t mean to¡ª¡±

    ¡°I said explain yourself,¡± her mother replied gruffly ¡°Not to apologize.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s stomach lurched. ¡°Right, sorry,¡± Daphne said, wincing as she heard herself apologizing again. ¡°I got home from work and sat down on my couch. I guess I fell asleep unintentionally. I wasn¡¯t trying to ghost you. It was an accident.¡±

    ¡°Sure it was an accident,¡± Kimberly replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve heard that one before.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Mom,¡± Daphne said, rubbing her hand across her knitted eyebrows. ¡°It was a rough day at work and I was completely exhausted when I got home.¡±

    Her mother sighed aggressively on the other side of the line. ¡°Well, if you keep insisting it was an accident, you give me little choice except to believe you.¡±

    Some of the weight on Daphne¡¯s heart was removed. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m really sorry that this happened. Do you want to try to reschedule?¡±

    ¡°Hah!¡± Kimberly replied, a sarcastic laugh biting into Daphne¡¯s ear through the phone¡¯s speaker. ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Kimberly continued. ¡°I¡¯m far too angry at you right now. Maybe after a couple of weeks and Thanksgiving, if you play nicely, I¡¯ll consider it.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart dropped into her stomach and she shook her head at herself. It¡¯s fine. This relationship is only a means to an end at this point.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Daphne murmured. ¡°Again, I¡¯m really sorry that this happened. I was really looking forward to our time together.¡±

    ¡°I was too,¡± Kimberly snapped back. She sighed again. ¡°I have to go. Talk later.¡± The phone clicked off, signaling the end of the call before Daphne got a moment to reply.

    Daphne let out a heavy breath, some of the tension in her chest relieving. She put her phone down on her table, grabbing her keys to her apartment. Her stomach was twisted up into knots. She looked over at Tanpopo, who was still laying in his hammock. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± she told him. ¡°And then I¡¯ll feed you dinner, okay, bud?¡±

    Tanpopo just stared at her with his glass like, gemstone eyes. She chuckled a little bit at his lack of response. ¡°You¡¯re just waiting for me to feed you, aren¡¯t you?¡± she asked. She sighed, a smile on her face. ¡°Sorry, bud. It will be just a few more minutes. I just need to walk a little.¡±

    She turned and left her apartment, walking down the stairs, to the mailboxes on the first level. It¡¯s been a while since I got the mail.

    Each step she took barely loosened the knots in her stomach. At least it¡¯s heading in the right direction. Hopefully I won¡¯t feel like I¡¯ve been kicked in the gut all night.

    She grabbed a thick stack of mail out of her mailbox, and then closed the box with her key. She began her climb back up to her apartment, each step feeling heavy as she went.

    She started daydreaming, thinking of all the things she wished she could change about her mother. There were more than she could count, and certainly more to think of than the amount of time it took for her to walk back up the stairs.

    She opened her apartment door, Tanpopo mewling at her from his bed. She smiled at him, and placed the stack of mail on her table, thumbing through it¡¯s contents.

    She furrowed her brows as she noticed an envelope that had no return address, and simply had her name ¡°Daphne Woods,¡± written on it. The envelope was thick, and she felt a shiver run down her spine as she pulled it out of the stack.

    How did this get here? It isn¡¯t as though someone could just slip it into my mailbox.

    She swallowed hard, flipping the envelope over. It was taped shut, and she gently began to pull it open. As the tape released, the envelope began to rapidly expand, and glitter began pouring out of it into Daphne¡¯s kitchen.

    What? She opened the envelope enough to see that there was a single sheet of paper folded up and buried in the bright red glitter that was now pouring into her kitchen.

    Daphne¡¯s blood was ice, as she carefully pulled out the sheet, doing her best to pull out as little glitter as possible with it. She placed the glitter covered sheet on the table and turned and put the envelope and the rest of the glittery contents into the trash.

    She looked around at the glitter that was all over the area where she¡¯d opened the envelope. Her stomach tightened and her blood felt like it was boiling.

    Who the fuck sends someone a glitter bomb when they have a cat? She peeled out of her clothes, careful to only drop the glitter where it already was in her apartment. The last thing she wanted was Tanpopo accidentally eating glitter.

    After cleaning up the majority of the mess, she turned back to the sheet, and a shiver ran down her spine as she realized that the shade of glitter was nearly the exact same shade as the woman¡¯s lipstick.

    She swallowed hard. I don¡¯t remember getting a glitter bomb before. Did I just miss it? Or has something changed?

    She gingerly opened the sheet, unable to ignore her gut feeling that the glitter bomb was most certainly from her killer.

    There was no handwriting to analyze, as the words were typed and printed onto a single sheet of printer paper.

    Daphne Woods¡ª

    A thief, just like your mother. Can¡¯t keep your hands to yourself. And you lie.

    Lie.

    Lie!

    Just like her.

    Will you be satisfied once you¡¯ve destroyed everyone around you? Will you be happy if you kill me off right after you have a baby with a man who is rightfully mine? Just like your mother! You¡¯re just like your mother, a whore, and a conniving little bitch.

    Karma is coming for you, Daphne Woods. For you AND your mother.

 Chapter 45

    Daphne walked into her mother¡¯s favorite brunch restaurant on Saturday morning. Maggie¡¯s help really worked wonders to getting Mom to forgive me for missing dinner. I wish all of us siblings had worked together like this in the past. We probably would have gotten in far less trouble if we had.

    She pursed her lips, her hand running over the glittery piece of paper in her pocket. After receiving her killer¡¯s note, Daphne had known there was going to be no way that she could possibly wait to meet up with her mother until after Thanksgiving. I was right, Daphne thought for probably the five hundredth time since she¡¯d opened the glitter bomb. The reason why the killer targeted me was because of my mother.

    Her skin had remained slightly chilled ever since she¡¯d gotten the note. Periodically, she shivered, remembering her killer knew where she lived.

    Still, all of the suffering she¡¯d gone through with her mother suddenly felt justified. I will get to the bottom of this.

    ¡°Welcome,¡± the hostess said to Daphne as she entered the lobby of the restaurant. ¡°You¡¯re Kimberly Woods¡¯ daughter, right?¡± she asked. ¡°I can take your coat before you get seated,¡± she said, offering her hand for Daphne¡¯s jacket.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Daphne said, removing her coat and handing it to the hostess.

    Two years ago, after I was here for the last time, I never imagined I¡¯d be coming back to this restaurant. She made her way over to the table her mother was sitting at.

    Daphne smiled at her mother as she pulled out the chair to sit across form her at the four person table. The table was covered in a white tablecloth, and the silverware was wrapped tightly in a white cloth napkin, next to a crystal cup meant for water.

    Daphne bit down on her tongue. She always has loved extravagance, hasn¡¯t she?

    ¡°Daphne,¡± Kimberly said, a fierce look in her eye. ¡°So glad you could make it.¡± She handed Daphne a copy of the menu. ¡°I¡¯ve already ordered a round of mimosas for the two of us, but if you want something additional, feel free to order it.¡±

    Daphne nodded, taking the menu from her mother. ¡°Thank you,¡± she replied. ¡°That sounds lovely.¡±

    Perfect. Alcohol might be able to make her even more willing to talk.

    Daphne scanned through the menu, attempting to determine what she might want to eat. She looked up at her mother, who was glaring at her.

    Daphne swallowed hard, remembering that she had promised herself that she would remember to apologize to her mother¡ªagain¡ªbefore anything else. I have to be on my toes, she chastised herself. And I¡¯m already making mistakes.

    Daphne bowed her head, putting the menu down on the table in front of her. ¡°I am really sorry about Wednesday night,¡± she said. ¡°I still feel terrible about missing our time together, and I¡¯m grateful that you were willing to see me this morning despite it.¡±

    Kimberly let out a huffy breath. ¡°Instead of continuing to apologize to me, you should be thanking Magnolia for defending you. Wednesday is already done and over with.¡±

    Daphne gave her mother a sharp nod. ¡°I will thank her. Still, I really appreciate your willingness to reschedule.¡±

    Kimberly waved a hand at Daphne, dismissing her sentence. ¡°I appreciate that you genuinely seem to be trying to make up for last time,¡± she said.

    Daphne smiled at her mother, not exactly sure how to respond to the statement. If only that were actually true.

    ¡°Two mimosas,¡± the server said, placing the drinks down in front of the two women. ¡°Have we decided what we¡¯re going to get to eat?¡± she asked.

    Daphne picked up the menu, scanning through the options as her mother ordered her own meal. ¡°And for you?¡± the server prompted her, turning towards Daphne.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have the blueberry pancakes,¡± Daphne replied with a smile, handing the menu to the server.

    ¡°Perfect!¡± the server replied brightly. ¡°I¡¯ll get these orders to the kitchen and bring them out when they¡¯re ready.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Daphne replied, attempting to match the server¡¯s energy. Inside, her stomach felt like there was a bowling ball rolling around in it.

    Kimberly laughed a little as Daphne reached for her mimosa. ¡°You¡¯ve loved blueberry pancakes since you were a little kid.¡±

    Daphne took a big gulp of her mimosa, feeling the alcohol burn down her throat. Her mother scowled at her. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder you can¡¯t find a partner,¡± her mother stated. ¡°You¡¯re so un-lady like.¡±

    Daphne did her best to keep a grimace off of her face. ¡°Sorry,¡± she murmured. ¡°It just tasted really good, so it was hard to stop myself from taking a big drink of it.¡±

    She swallowed hard, hoping her mother would take the bait. Her mother was only going to be willing to talk to her if she was in a good mood, and there was no better way for Daphne to start her mother¡¯s good mood off, than with compliments of her mother¡¯s favorite beverage at her favorite brunch place.

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Kimberly grinned, taking a lady like sip of her own mimosa. ¡°This restaurant makes the best mimosas I¡¯ve ever had,¡± she informed Daphne. ¡°No where else I¡¯ve been to has been able to compare.¡±

    Some of the tension in Daphne¡¯s chest loosened. It worked. At least, for now.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure that I¡¯ve ever been able to appreciate the taste of mimosas before,¡± Daphne admitted to her mother. ¡°The alcohol flavor was always so strong to me in the past.¡± She smiled, studying her mother¡¯s face carefully, waiting for the best time to launch into her questions.

    Hopefully I can get at least a little bit of information out of her. My working theory for now is that one of the many women Gary was involved with found out about me and took action into her own hands in the past. Daphne¡¯s stomach tightened. But there¡¯s so many pieces to this that I¡¯m missing that I can¡¯t help but feel that¡¯s not quite right. She pursed her lips, responding to a question her mother asked. Hopefully I¡¯ll be able to get enough direction from mother that I¡¯ll be able to narrow in on a list of suspects.

    Daphne continued to schmooze her mother, working her hardest to get her mother into a good enough mood. A second round of mimosas came before their food did, and before long, her mother had a soft smile on, the thing that Daphne knew was her tell for being tipsy.

    The server placed their food plates in front of them. ¡°Enjoy!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Let me know if there is anything else I can get for you, alright ladies?¡±

    Daphne nodded at her. ¡°Thanks so much,¡± she replied.

    She turned back to her mother, who was already beginning to dig into her food. Kimberly still had the small smile on her face, as if she was genuinely enjoying herself.

    Daphne let out a short breath. I endured it. Now is the time for my questions.

    Daphne picked up her silverware, unrolling it from the napkin, and placing the napkin on her lap. She began to cut into her pancakes, taking a deep breath. ¡°Mom,¡± she started, meeting her mother¡¯s blue eyes. ¡°I heard something odd about you the other day at work, and I wanted to ask you about it.¡±

    The words hung in the air between them as Kimberly delicately patted her mouth with her napkin as her eyebrows drew downward. ¡°Was it something bad?¡± she asked.

    Daphne nodded a little. Her mother scowled as Daphne took her first bite of her food, the blueberries popping and tasting sweet and sour in her mouth.

    ¡°Who was it that said it?¡± Kimberly demanded.

    Daphne¡¯s heart skipped a beat. I didn¡¯t expect her to ask who said it. She slowed her chewing down as she tried to come up with an excuse.

    Finally, swallowing, Daphne shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure,¡± she answered. ¡°I was in the restroom when I heard a couple of women talking about it.¡±

    ¡°Ugh,¡± Kimberly replied with a heavy breath. ¡°The ones who refuse to show their face are always the most insidious. They¡¯re not bullying you over it, are they?¡± she asked.

    Daphne shook her head, recognizing her mother¡¯s tactic to steer the conversation away from the content of the rumor. ¡°No, they¡¯re not,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°But what they said really seemed weird to me, so I wanted to ask you about it.¡±

    ¡°Whatever they said is probably not true,¡± Kimberly said, waving her hand at Daphne, implying Daphne should just dismiss the contents of the rumor rather than discuss them.

    ¡°Well, sure,¡± Daphne agreed with a nod. ¡°You always told me rumors are made by ¡®viciously jealous people.¡¯¡± Kimberly smiled at her words coming out of Daphne¡¯s mouth. ¡°But I wanted to inform you about what I heard in case you need to take legal action against the rumor,¡± Daphne continued.

    Kimberly¡¯s face was severe. ¡°What kind of rumor was it?¡± she asked, her voice low.

    Daphne swallowed hard, the killer¡¯s letter in her coat pocket coming to mind. ¡°And you lie. Just like her.¡±

    I¡¯m not lying to gain something, Daphne reminded herself, attempting to calm her nerves. I¡¯m lying to see if I can figure out the identity of the killer. I¡¯m lying to protect myself. It¡¯s different.

    In spite of her thoughts, Daphne¡¯s stomach was still in a tight knot. Maybe the killer is right about me after all, another part of Daphne whispered in her mind.

    Daphne bit down on her lower lip, looking at her pancakes, and then back up at her mother. ¡°It¡¯s really bad,¡± she murmured. ¡°Can you promise not to get mad if I repeat it?¡±

    Kimberly¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I promise not to get mad at you, Daphne,¡± she said firmly.

    Daphne nodded, knowing her mother meant exactly what she said. ¡°The woman said that you cheated on Dad and had a kid with the person you cheated with¡­and essentially that one of the kids in our family was not Dad¡¯s.¡±

    Daphne watched her mother¡¯s face closely. Kimberly paled before her face turned red. She slammed her fist down on the table, causing all of the dishes on the table to rattle. Daphne flinched, unable to stop herself.

    Her eyes turned back on her mother¡¯s face. Kimberly¡¯s eyes were off to the side, and she was not looking at Daphne.

    Something inside Daphne felt like it was shattering. Dad was right. She remembered her father, wan and weak, telling her that he was fairly certain that Kimberly had cheated on him.

    And so is the killer. Daphne¡¯s chest tightened. Whoever the killer is, they are most likely related to whoever my mother¡¯s affair partner is to know about this.

    ¡°That¡¯s most definitely not true!¡± Kimberly exclaimed. Her eyes finally met Daphne¡¯s and she barely, just barely, bit the inside of her lip, just enough for Daphne to notice. ¡°All of the children in our family are your father¡¯s!¡±

    She¡¯s lying.

    Internally, Daphne was a mess. Her stomach was swirling, making her regret the few bites of pancakes she had managed to get in so far. Her heart ached, and felt as though it was shattering into millions of tiny shards. She wanted nothing more than to close her eyes, and run away with her hands over her ears, screaming.

    The truth is even worse than I could have possibly imagined. She started trying to pull herself together to be able to respond to her mother.

    Not only did she cheat on him, treat him like shit, work him like a horse, while all she did was garden, she literally forced him to raise another man¡¯s child against his knowledge. He loved and provided for that child, whichever one of us it is.

    ¡°I believe you,¡± Daphne replied, steadying her hand to grab her mimosa and take a sip of it. ¡°I figured it was most certainly a lie.¡±

    Which one of us could it be? Cy? Maggie? Me? Ollie? Viola? There was not a single one of them that stood out as obviously different from the others, giving Daphne no hints at who it could be.

    Her mother¡¯s breathing in front of her was ragged, but starting to slow down. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that someone had the audacity to make up something so vile,¡± she said.

    Daphne nodded in agreement. I had no idea you could be such a heinous person.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad I told you then,¡± Daphne said, putting her mimosa back onto the table. ¡°It at least will give you a chance to get in front of it.¡±

    Kimberly nodded, stabbing her food with her fork. ¡°Thank you,¡± she agreed. ¡°Something like that could be devastating for the Kimberly Woods Foundation.¡± She nodded and then continued. ¡°If you ever hear anyone talking about that ever again, take the time to correct them,¡± Kimberly instructed her daughter.

    Daphne cut into her own pancakes, her hands still shaking from her new knowledge. ¡°I will,¡± she promised.

 Chapter 46

    ¡°Don¡¯t leave me!¡± the woman on the screen in front of Asher and Daphne protested to her now ex-boyfriend. The ex-boyfriend onscreen scowled at the woman.

    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely worthless,¡± he told her, kicking a rock in her general direction. ¡°You never even knew me, got it?¡±

    The woman continued crying as Daphne took a sip of her soda. Asher¡¯s hand gently touched hers on their shared armrest, and her heart skipped a beat as he threaded his fingers through her own.

    Even though the couple had planned their date earlier on in the week, and Daphne was genuinely happy to be spending time with Asher, her mind was still whirring on the information she had gleaned from her mother only a day before.

    Which one of us is not my father¡¯s child? On screen, the male lead offered the female lead a hand, helping her pick herself up after having been bullied by the female antagonist. I can¡¯t help but wonder if it¡¯s me who¡¯s not father¡¯s child. Maybe that¡¯s why mother treated me so badly all of these years. Every time she would have looked at me or interacted with me, she would have seen bits and pieces of her affair partner in me. What else could better explain why she has always treated me so poorly? She never treated any of my siblings as cruelly as she treated me.

    She removed her hands from Asher¡¯s, taking a big handful of popcorn from the bucket between them. If the man who raised me isn¡¯t my father¡­ Daphne¡¯s heart ached at the thought. I don¡¯t know how I would be able to cope with knowing that my father wasn¡¯t my biological father.

    A car accident happened on the screen in front of them, and Daphne jumped nearly out of her skin. She saw the truck¡¯s headlights again, heading straight towards her. She felt Asher¡¯s hand grab her own again, and she turned and looked at him. He had a gentle smile on his face as he ran his thumb over the skin on the back of her hand.

    Her pulse started to steady as the female lead cried over the male lead in the hospital bed in front of her.

    God, this movie is very melodramatic. But, why do I relate to it so hard? With her free hand, she wiped away a couple of tears that snuck out of her eyes. ¡­is my life actually this melodramatic?

    Asher squeezed her hand, and her heart warmed a little. Even if it is, at least I have a man who is willing to be my partner through it all now.

    The movie ended with the male lead and the female lead getting married, finally getting their happily ever after, after all of the things they had been through, throughout the entirety of the film. Daphne¡¯s heart warmed a little at the ending. The credits rolled, and Asher and Daphne gathered up their belongings to leave.

    ¡°So, what did you think of the movie?¡± Asher asked her as they were walking out.

    ¡°I thought it was pretty good,¡± she replied with a small smile, looking up at his face and meeting his brown eyes. ¡°Melodramas are definitely not my favorite though.¡±

    ¡­because I relate to them too hard, she added silently.

    ¡°Really?¡± Asher asked. ¡°That¡¯s surprising. I also liked it, in part because it was a melodrama. It feels more like my real life. I relate to that kind of story a lot.¡±

    Daphne cocked her head at Asher, surprised by his words. Should I tell him? It feels too soon in our relationship to dig into family stuff. I never talked to Gary about any of my family ...though¡­I didn¡¯t want Gary to even know who my mother was. With Asher, he already knows who she is.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you feel that way,¡± she replied. ¡°From the outside looking in, your family always looked perfect and well-put together. I was envious of that as a child.¡±

    Asher let out a laugh. ¡°What if I say I felt the same way about your family? You had so many siblings, yet you all seemed well put together.¡±

    Daphne scowled at him. ¡°It¡¯s a show,¡± she replied.

    He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s the same for my family. Lots of families look perfect on the outside, but on the inside they hold lots of lies and secrets.¡±

    They walked out of the doors to the movie theater into the crisp, November air. Daphne tugged her coat closer together. ¡°So what now?¡± she asked as they slowly strode to his car.

    ¡°Would you like to come to my place for dinner?¡± Asher asked as they reached his car in the parking lot.

    Daphne¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Does he mean what I think he means? She was grateful for the darkness as she felt her face heating up.

    ¡°For, uh, dinner?¡± Daphne asked, unable to stop herself from stuttering.

    ¡°Yes, for dinner,¡± Asher replied with a laugh. ¡°I thought it could be kind of fun to cook for you. Plus you¡¯d get an opportunity to meet Pippin.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart squeezed. Oh my god. He wants me to meet his cat.

    ¡°I¡¯d love that,¡± Daphne replied, placing her hands on her cheeks and smiling.

    Asher chuckled a little, and then turned and opened the passenger seat of his car. He gestured to Daphne to climb in. She did, and he went around to the driver¡¯s side as she got buckled in. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said as he sat down in the driver¡¯s seat.

    I don¡¯t know if anyone I¡¯ve ever dated before opened a door for me. What a gentleman.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Asher said, starting the vehicle.

    Daphne¡¯s heart stuttered a little, realizing how close to one another they were. I¡¯m really breathing the same air as him today.

    The drive to Asher¡¯s condo was short and before Daphne knew it, he was opening the door for her to enter. She heard a cat humming, sounding excited that the door was opening. As she stepped inside, into a kitchen with a high ceiling, she saw the little white and buff boy cat wadding around, mewing, opening his mouth widely, showing off his pink tongue.

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    ¡°Oh my god, he¡¯s so cute!¡± Daphne exclaimed, swooping down to reach her hand out to Pippin. The cat looked nervous, and backed up a few inches, wobbling as he went.

    ¡°Well, he¡¯s not running and hiding right away, so you¡¯re off to a good start with him,¡± Asher said with a laugh. ¡°Sorry that he¡¯s so noisy. I think he just likes the sound of his own voice.¡±

    Pippin had yet to stop meowing at the couple, and Asher reached down and pet the cat, who excitedly shoved his face into his owner¡¯s hand. As Asher stroked Pippin¡¯s back, his fluffy tail raised like a flag into the air.

    ¡°He¡¯s so adorable!¡± Daphne cooed, reaching her hand closer to Pippin¡¯s face. He sniffed her gently, and still backed up a couple of steps, meowing at her and looking at her with his eyes that slightly pointed outward from one another.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like him,¡± Asher said. ¡°Give him a little, and I¡¯d bet he¡¯ll let you pet him. He¡¯s just a very skittish cat.¡±

    Daphne nodded with a smile and stood up. ¡°So what were you thinking of making for dinner?¡± she asked, removing her coat and putting it on the coat rack he had by the door.

    ¡°Whatever you think sounds good,¡± Asher replied, removing his own coat. ¡°What kind of food do you like to eat?¡±

    Daphne narrowed her eyes at Asher. ¡°You can just make all foods?¡± she asked.

    Asher chuckled. ¡°No, but I can make a lot of foods.¡±

    ¡°What about sushi?¡± Daphne asked.

    Asher narrowed his eyes at her, pursuing his lips and nodding. ¡°I can definitely make sushi but let me see if I have the supplies for it.¡±

    Asher began rummaging around in his kitchen and Daphne peeked around into he living room. Her jaw dropped a little to see a luxurious stone fireplace, and a vaulted ceiling, with a sliding glass door onto a deck that overlooked a large pond.

    ¡°Oh my god, Asher,¡± she said. ¡°This place is incredible.¡±

    ¡°Thanks!¡± Asher replied brightly from the kitchen behind her.

    ¡°How can you afford this?¡± she asked.

    He let out a laugh as she turned back to him. He had just pulled out a rice cooker and was plopping it down onto his counter. ¡°Well, I do basically work two full-time jobs,¡± he answered. ¡°Between work and my father¡¯s business, the thing that hs been lacking the most in my life is time, not money.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± Daphne agreed with a nod. ¡°Will you still be able to afford this place after you quit your project manager role?¡±

    ¡°Oh, for sure,¡± Asher replied, as he pulled out rice from one of his cabinets. ¡°I¡¯ve been making extra payments to help lower my monthly costs over time.¡±

    He¡¯s going to be a business owner soon and he¡¯s good with money? Impressive¡­

    ¡°It will be sad when you leave,¡± Daphne said. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss working with you all the time.¡±

    His brown eyes met hers. ¡°I feel the same,¡± he said with a small, warm smile.

    She smirked a little. ¡°I do imagine you¡¯re looking forward to more free time, though.¡±

    ¡°Only so I have more time to spend with my lovely girlfriend,¡± he replied with a wink before he started washing the rice in his sink.

    Daphne giggled a little. ¡°I¡¯m definitely looking forward to you having more free time,¡± she said. She felt her face heating up.

    ¡°Still, though,¡± Asher said. ¡°While we won¡¯t be working directly together, there is still the opportunity that we¡¯ll get to see each other at work every now and again.¡± He poured the rice into the cooker. ¡°We had someone leave the project management team, so I gave the manger in that space your contact information. They¡¯re supposed to contact you this next week about setting up time for an interview.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart jumped in her chest. ¡°Are you serious?¡± she asked.

    Asher and I will get to leave at the same time? No more Trevor? No more Fiona? Daphne had to hold back a giddy laugh.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Asher replied, starting the rice cooker.

    ¡°Thank you so much,¡± Daphne said with a heavy sigh. ¡°I really, really appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure,¡± Asher replied, sticking his head into the fridge.

    ¡°My whole world has changed since you came into my life,¡± Daphne said. ¡°I really don¡¯t have the words to express how grateful I am.¡±

    Asher put the fish from his fridge on the counter, and walked over to Daphne, pulling her into his arms. ¡°I feel the same way,¡± he told her, studying her face. He gently lifted her chin up towards his face, and Daphne¡¯s eyes fluttered shut.

    Asher¡¯s lips caressed her own, briefly, and then he pulled her in deeper for more. Daphne let out a little gasp, as she clung onto Asher¡¯s back, feeling the ribbons of his muscles beneath his shirt.

    Asher¡¯s hands were in her hair, holding the back of her head. She felt his tongue against her lips. She let him in, and he explored her mouth, letting out a soft moan against her lips. Daphne felt a heat running through her, as she reached up, running his hands through his short, dark hair.

    Holy fuck, I want this man. Asher wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. She could feel her breasts flattening against his chest.

    Daphne¡¯s stomach growled loudly, as their kisses were starting to slow down. She felt Asher¡¯s arms release her, and he took a step back. Both of them were panting a little. Daphne knew her face was red, and she saw the tips of Asher¡¯s ears were much pinker than usual. He was smiling at her, with a hint of a smirk embedded in it.

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re really hungry,¡± Asher said.

    Daphne laughed a little. ¡°I am,¡± she replied. ¡°The thought of sushi is making me even hungrier.¡±

    He chuckled in response and returned to his sushi making activities. Daphne pulled out one of the stools at the island and sat down on it, still attempting to steady her whirling head.

    ¡°So, since you¡¯re moving onto taking over your father¡¯s business¡­curious question for you,¡± Daphne said, continuing their earlier conversation in an effort to distract herself from the heat that was growing inside of her.

    ¡°Fire away,¡± Asher said, looking at her with a smile.

    ¡°Is this what you have been dreaming of doing your whole life?¡± Daphne asked.

    Asher shrugged. ¡°Honestly, I haven¡¯t really considered doing anything else for a really long time. It was always just me and Rose, and lord knows she¡¯s far too lazy to take over the company.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Daphne replied, studying Asher closely. ¡°In that case, what was your first dream job?¡±

    ¡°Oof, that¡¯s a tough question,¡± Asher replied. ¡°Probably¡­I really wanted to be a civil engineer who designed bridges.¡±

    Daphne nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a bit unexpected,¡± she admitted.

    ¡°What about you? Do you intend to do project management forever?¡± Asher asked.

    ¡°Project management has always been a means to an end for me,¡± she admitted. ¡°It pays the bills but I¡¯m not sure that I will want to do it forever.¡±

    Asher nodded. ¡°I especially don¡¯t blame you with the experience Trevor has been giving you. Have you considered what you¡¯d like to do instead?¡±

    Daphne shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve been pretty directionless for a long time.¡±

    Asher nodded again. ¡°It¡¯s hard to choose just one thing. Did you also have a first dream job?¡±

    Daphne nodded slowly, thinking back to her childhood interests. ¡°I honestly always really did like plants before Mother ruined them for me. I always hoped that she would take me into her garden and show me how she did it.¡±

    Asher nodded. ¡°So maybe it will be something with plants then.¡±

    Daphne felt her chest tighten. ¡°No, I hope not,¡± she said. ¡°These days I really hate flowers.¡±

    Asher gave her a sharp nod. ¡°Good to know,¡± he said.

    ¡°What about our relationship?¡± Daphne asked, tracing a heart over and over on the countertop. ¡°Do you see a future with me?¡±

    Asher nodded, pulling rice out of the rice cooker and beginning to shape it on the sushi mat in front of him. ¡°Absolutely,¡± he replied. ¡°I really hope that we can be together a long time because before¡­¡± He paused.

    Daphne felt her head tilt to the side. There¡¯s that word again. Before. What does he mean by before? Her eyes narrowed. Could it be¡­?

    ¡°Before?¡± Daphne prompted him after he hadn¡¯t continued his sentence fore several beats.

    ¡°Um¡­you know,¡± Asher said, sheepish. ¡°Before.¡±

    Daphne pursed her lips, her heart quivering in her chest. ¡°Well, actually I don¡¯t know what you mean by before,¡± she said. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d be willing to enlighten me.¡±

    He finished rolling the sushi, and chopped it up into eight large pieces, then put the plate down in front of her before beginning to grab more rice out to start the roll for himself.

    Asher sighed. ¡°If I try to explain to you what I mean by before, you¡¯re not going to believe me, and I¡¯m just going to look like a crazy person in front of my girlfriend.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Don¡¯t tell me¡­did he go through something similar to what I did?

 Chapter 47

    ¡°Try me,¡± Daphne commanded him.

    Asher let out another heavy breath before chopping up his own roll. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure how it happened, but I somehow traveled back in time from the future.¡±

    Daphne felt her heart start pounding in her chest. Everything makes sense now.

    ¡°You died on December twenty-third. It was hard for me to even wrap my mind around it, but I started looking into your death because there were just so many things fishy about it.¡±

    A lump was beginning to form in Daphne¡¯s throat. ¡°Why would you look into my death?¡± she croaked.

    ¡°I had always had a bit of a thing for you,¡± Asher admitted, sheepishly, not noticing that Daphne hadn¡¯t even questioned his statement that he was from the future. ¡°And the case was too quickly and easily wrapped up as an involuntary manslaughter accusation. I was in the process of recruiting you for my company. And, most oddly of all, all of the CCTV footage was erased for that timeframe when you were struck. It just seemed to be too coordinated to be a coincidence.¡±

    Daphne took a sharp intake of breath. I can¡¯t believe it. I really was murdered.

    Asher cocked his head at her, finally realizing what she had skipped over. ¡°You believe me?¡± he asked. ¡°Wait¡­what do you mean why did I look into your death? We are together¡­¡± Realization hit his eyes.

    Daphne nodded. ¡°I, too, came back to the past,¡± she said.

    Asher¡¯s eyes went wide, and he nodded. ¡°That makes some things make sense,¡± he said.

    ¡°So how did you get back to the past then?¡± Daphne asked. ¡°Did you also die?¡±

    Asher shook his head. ¡°Not that I¡¯m aware of,¡± he said. ¡°I went to bed before midnight on New Year¡¯s, and when I woke up, I had come back to September twenty-sixth.¡±

    Daphne nodded, staring off into space. ¡°That¡¯s the exact same day I woke up in the past,¡± she said.

    ¡°So then¡­¡± Asher replied, looking at her blankly. ¡°If you also came back from the past, would you be willing to tell me about how you actually died?¡±

    Daphne swallowed hard, her chest tightening and the lump in her throat growing larger. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t think my death was an accident.¡±

    Asher¡¯s jaw clenched. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked.

    Daphne nodded slowly, the events vividly replaying in her mind for the thousandth time. ¡°My boyfriend broke up with me, so I went to the park. When I was walking home was when it really began to turn into a blizzard. The street was a slip and slide. All of the sudden I heard this truck engine revving up, and saw it coming at me. I don¡¯t think the driver called for an ambulance, and the last thing I remember was a woman with red lipstick smiling down at me as I died in the snow¡­¡± Daphne shivered at the memory of the woman¡¯s smile as she looked up at Asher¡¯s face. It was pale.

    ¡°That sounds¡­traumatic,¡± he said. ¡°But it matches up with what I was finding about your death¡­¡± the room fell silent for a couple of beats before Asher continued. ¡°Have you been trying to figure out who killed you then, all this time?¡±

    Daphne nodded. ¡°All I¡¯ve really been able to figure out is that somehow it all relates back to my family.¡± She chewed on her upper lip. ¡°Earlier this week I actually got a glitter bomb with a note in it.¡± She stood up and turned around to grabbed the letter from her coat pocket.

    It all makes sense. Tears stung her eyes as she walked back over to Asher. Asher <u>was</u> starting to act different after I returned. It was because he had returned too.

    She handed the letter to him, doing her best not to get glitter on the food. He opened it, and read it, his face growing even paler.

    ¡°Thank you for telling me,¡± he murmured, handing the folded up letter back to Daphne. ¡°In that case, we first need to focus on getting you to safety. If this letter is truly from the killer, they know where you live, and could already be watching you regularly. So, you should probably move, on top of changing jobs.¡±

    Daphne nodded, feeling the chill to her bones. ¡°I hadn¡¯t even considered that they could be watching me already,¡± she said.

    ¡°I totally understand,¡± Asher said with a sharp nod. ¡°After we ensure you¡¯re safe, we can continue to investigate who the killer is.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a good plan,¡± Daphne replied, relief washing through her. She picked up some of the sushi rolls with her chopsticks and dipped it into the soy sauce in front of her.

    What a miracle both of us were brought back to the past. I no longer have to do everything alone in this journey to the past.

    Daphne smiled up at Asher, her heart warming. This time, I have found a way to be happy.

    ~

    Daphne¡¯s alarm blared, and she groaned, hitting snooze. No matter what timeline I¡¯m in, waking up in the morning for work is never easy.

    Her eyes fluttered shut and she sighed. Will I feel better after I¡¯m working a different job? Or is it still going to feel the same, purposeless and mundane, no matter where I work?

    Her alarm screeched at her again, and she sighed, turning it off. Tanpopo made his creaky meow at her as she sat up. It was the start of her eighth week after her return, and she was already wishing it was Friday all over again.

    I have even more to do now that Asher has suggested I should probably move, too. I need to start looking for a new apartment with as minimal of a loss as possible.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    She forced herself up and out of bed. First and foremost, I have to make it through this day.

    She got ready, completing her daily routine, and snagging as many pets from Tanpopo that he would allow her to. Finally, she was ready to go. She kissed Tanpopo on his little forehead, and left her apartment with a sigh, trudging down the stairs to the parking lot.

    The weather was getting to the point where it was regularly below freezing every morning, and Daphne slipped on her gloves as she walked out of the building into the parking lot. She let out a breath, a puff of vapor appearing in front of her face as she began digging through her coat pocket for her car keys. Just as she finally got them out, she made it to the spot that she typically parked in. Her heart jumped in her chest.

    What¡­?

    Her car was not parked in her typical spot.

    She looked up at the grey sky, trying to remember where she had parked after meeting with her mother, or if it had been in the spot when Asher had dropped her off at her apartment the night before.

    I¡¯m pretty sure I parked here. This is almost always where I park unless someone else takes the spot before I make it home. She rubbed her fingers across her temples, then started looking around the parking lot for where she might have parked instead.

    Her car was still nowhere to be found.

    She laughed a little, as it was the only way she could cope with the absurdity of the situation. I would have remembered having to walk further than usual, wouldn¡¯t I?

    Her heart rate started picking up in pace. Her stomach fluttered and her throat felt tight. There¡¯s no way, right? Who would want to¡­steal my car?

    She looked down at the key fob in her hand. I guess there¡¯s one quick way to find out. She pressed the lock button twice, waiting to hear the sound of her car¡¯s horn.

    There was nothing.

    Is this a joke? What a way to start a Monday. This most certainly never happened before.

    Her stomach rolled like a bowling ball. How am I going to go to work without a car? What am I going to do without a car?

    Her eyes stung, and she pocketed her car keys, switching them out for her cellphone. Do I call Maggie or Asher?

    She pursed her lips, tightening them into a thin line. Arriving with Asher would most definitely make the whole office aware our relationship. But it¡¯s far more convenient if he and I go to work together.

    She sat down on the curb, her feet in the parking spot her car should have been in. She pulled up Asher¡¯s number on her phone and hit call.

    Hopefully we both won¡¯t be working for this company much longer. And having everyone at the office find out we¡¯re together beats paying for a taxi into the city.

    Asher picked up on the third ring. ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Hi, Asher.¡±

    ¡°Daphne? You¡¯re calling bright and early. I¡¯m surprised to hear from you.¡±

    The line fell silent as she chewed on her lip for a moment. ¡°Do you think you¡¯d be able to pick me up for work?¡± she asked.

    It was Asher¡¯s turn to pause. ¡°Why is that?¡± he finally asked. ¡°Is everything okay?¡±

    ¡°My car¡­¡± Daphne¡¯s voice caught in her throat.

    ¡°Is your car not starting?¡± Asher prompted. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s your battery? I could give you a jump.¡±

    ¡°¡­was stolen.¡±

    The line fell quiet again. ¡°Your car was stolen?¡± Asher asked, his voice astonished.

    ¡°It appears that way,¡± Daphne murmured, studying the ground closely. ¡°In case you are wondering, this most certainly did not happen before.¡±

    ¡°I was wondering that,¡± Asher informed her.

    ¡°I feel like I did everything to try not to piss off¡­my enemy¡­this time,¡± Daphne said, looking around to see if there was anyone who could possibly overhear her conversation. ¡°So I¡¯m not sure why this happened.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s strange for sure,¡± Asher agreed. There was silence for a couple of beats before he continued. ¡°Well, rather than taking you directly to work, we should probably go to the police station first and report your vehicle as stolen.¡±

    Daphne sighed, putting her forehead up against her hand. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­I¡¯m just really out of sorts.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Asher replied. ¡°Anyone would be if they left their home expecting to go to work only to find out that their car had been stolen.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Daphne said with a sigh.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re in luck that you called me when you did,¡± Asher said. ¡°I was actually just about to head out, so I¡¯ll be there shortly. I¡¯ll also give Trevor a call on the way and let him know what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Daphne said, some of the tension in her chest releasing. ¡°I definitely don¡¯t have the energy to deal with Trevor right now.¡±

    Asher chuckled. ¡°My pleasure, Daph,¡± he said. Her heart skipped a beat at Asher using her nickname. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to get going then, okay? I¡¯ll see you soon.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± she replied. ¡°See you soon.¡± She pulled her phone away from her ear and hung up.

    I guess with my car getting stolen, I at least get to delay having to be at work for a little bit. She looked around on the ground, attempting to see if there was anything that might help point the police in the direction of who the culprit might be. It¡¯s not like the apartment complex has cameras in it.

    A ray of sunshine cut through the grey clouds. Daphne had to squint a little at the sudden change in lighting. As she did, she noticed something on the ground glittering brightly in her eye.

    She reached for it, just as the sun got covered up by the clouds again, and her stomach dropped as she immediately recognized the golden piece of metal she picked up.

    She pulled it close to examine it, and sure enough, it was a golden cuff link with an enormous glittering diamond on the end of it.

    Cy? She shook her head, her eyebrows pulling together. Why would Cy want to steal my car? She spun the cuff link between her thumb and her pointer finger. Cy has tons of money. He could rent a sports car and not even bat an eye at the price! Why would Cy want to steal my car? Hell, he couldn¡¯t even afford to purchase a car and house it here just for when he comes back. Why take his sister¡¯s without permission?

    Daphne sighed and shook her head, pocketing the cuff link. She pulled out her phone and opened a text message to Maggie.

    Is Cy in town?

    Daphne chewed on the inside of her cheek. Hopefully Maggie will be awake since she¡¯d be dropping the kids off for school soon, right?

    She looked back at her text messages from Maggie, just as one came in.

    Yes, why?

    Daphne pulled out the cuff link from her pocket and took a picture of it over the empty parking spot and sent it to her sister.

    Woke up this morning to go to work to find out my car was stolen. I found this in the parking spot my car should have been in.

    What the fuck? Maggie replied. That¡¯s definitely Cy¡¯s cuff link. Those things blind me every time he wears them.

    Why would he steal my car?

    I have no clue.

    Daphne shook her head. Does he not realize he¡¯s putting his business at risk by doing this?

    I¡¯m going to report him to the police, Daphne replied to her sister. You know he and I have never gotten along.

    You should probably talk to Mom, too, Maggie replied. Just to see if she knows anything.

    I will, Daphne replied.

    She stood, pocketing the cuff link and her phone just as Asher¡¯s car pulled up to her building. He smiled and waved at her, and she waved back before opening the door to get in.

    ¡°Do you have any idea who would want to steal your car?¡± Asher asked as Daphne settled in her seat.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Daphne replied as Asher started driving. ¡°But I found my older brother¡¯s cuff link in the parking spot.¡±

    ¡°Are you certain it¡¯s his?¡± Asher asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s so gaudy, it¡¯s unmistakably his,¡± she replied.

    Asher let out a little chuckle. ¡°Cypress Woods¡­why would he steal your car?¡± Asher asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°But I guess we¡¯re going to find out.¡±

    Asher nodded. ¡°Guess we are,¡± he agreed.

 Chapter 48

    ¡°Hey Trevor,¡± Daphne said, laughing nervously into the phone. ¡°So, uh¡­¡±

    ¡°What is it this time?¡± Trevor asked. ¡°Yesterday, Asher called me and said you had your car stolen. Are you going to tell me today that your grandma died or something?¡± There was an edge to Trevor¡¯s voice through the phone that sounded almost as if he was trying to dare Daphne to say her grandmother had just died.

    Instead, Daphne cleared her throat. ¡°Actually, I just have a dentist appointment this morning. So, I¡¯m going to be a little late coming in. I forgot to mention it yesterday,¡± she added for a good measure.

    ¡°Sounds like an excuse,¡± Trevor said with a grunt.

    That¡¯s because it is.

    ¡°What time can I expect you in?¡± Trevor asked. ¡°It¡¯s not like I can prove that you¡¯re lying to me.¡±

    Daphne laughed a little, grimacing. Her stomach rolled. ¡°I¡¯ll probably be in around ten,¡± she said.

    Trevor sighed through the phone. ¡°I expect you to make up the time so that your stay on top of your work. Make it up today. Understood?¡± She imagined him gritting his teeth.

    Daphne laughed a little, covering the phone¡¯s microphone so he couldn¡¯t hear her. If I get this job, I am most definitely not going to be making up <u>any</u> time.

    ¡°Understood,¡± Daphne replied.

    ¡°What¡¯s the words I told you to say?¡± Trevor snapped through the phone.

    Daphne removed the phone from her ear, scowling at it and hung up on her boss.

    ¡°Whoops,¡± she said out loud, her face contorting into a smirk.

    Asher pulled up, and she opened the passenger seat to his car, getting herself arranged in the seat.

    ¡°You look sharp,¡± Asher observed.

    ¡°I want to do well for this interview,¡± Daphne reminded him, buckling her seatbelt.

    ¡°I already told you not to worry about it,¡± Asher replied, pulling them out of Daphne¡¯s apartment parking lot.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I shouldn¡¯t take the first meeting with my potential future boss lightly,¡± Daphne protested. ¡°In fact, the fact that you helped me get this interview in the first place means I should probably take it more seriously.¡±

    Asher chuckled a little. ¡°As I would expect of the most competent coworker I work with.¡± Daphne looked over at him and saw the smug look on his face. ¡°You¡¯re so competent that I was trying to find a way to hire you the first time around, remember?¡±

    She groaned. ¡°Please don¡¯t bolster my ego too much before I go into this interview,¡± she grumbled.

    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Asher said with a chuckle. ¡°Have you heard anything about your car since yesterday morning?¡±

    Daphne sighed and nodded. ¡°They haven¡¯t found my car yet. So far, my older brother Cy is only considered a person of interest. They haven¡¯t found him yet either.¡±

    Next to her, Asher sighed. ¡°Are you sure the person who killed you is a woman?¡± he asked. ¡°Cy seems like a prime suspect at the moment.¡±

    Daphne glared at him, her stomach twisting a bit at Asher¡¯s words. Does he not believe me?

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m certain it was a woman,¡± Daphne replied firmly.

    ¡°You were dying when you saw them. How can you trust your own perception?¡±

    Daphne¡¯s stomach rolled around again. ¡°I don¡¯t know how else to tell you that I¡¯m absolutely positive that it was a woman. It was the face of a woman.¡±

    ¡°Maybe Cy put a hitman on you then,¡± Asher suggested.

    ¡°Why would Cy want to kill me?¡± Daphne asked, frowning and shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯ve always been his scapegoat.¡±

    ¡°Would it maybe have something to do with his business?¡± Asher suggested. ¡°What would he have to gain from your death?¡±

    Daphne¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m fairly certain, anyway.¡±

    Asher sighed, his face annoyed. ¡°Alright, keep thinking about it though, okay? He¡¯s the best lead we have right now.¡±

    Daphne nodded. Despite her insistence that her brother was not the culprit, she could not ignore the growing seed of doubt in her stomach.

    ¡°Did you hear anything else about it?¡± Asher continued.

    ¡°My mother isn¡¯t being cooperative with the officers,¡± Daphne admitted with a heavy sigh. ¡°Which, honestly, just makes me think that she¡¯s probably protecting Cy.¡±

    Daphne looked over at Asher. He was grimacing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said.

    She shrugged, her eyes turning back to the road in front of them. ¡°As long as I¡¯ve been alive, my mother has been choosing Cy over any of the rest of us. So, it¡¯s not surprising. He¡¯s the golden child of my family after all.¡±

    The car fell silent, and after a couple of beats, Daphne turned back over to look at Asher. He appeared to be musing over the words she¡¯d just said out loud.

    ¡°You¡¯re making me glad that it¡¯s just me and Rose in my family,¡± Asher said. ¡°I never had to worry about being consistently looked over like that. Our parents always just went back and forth between the two of us who was the so called ¡®golden child.¡¯¡±

    Daphne nodded solemnly as Asher pulled his car into a parking lot near an older brick building. ¡°I¡¯m jealous that your family only has two kids,¡± she told him. ¡°But at the same time, I wouldn¡¯t trade out my siblings for the world¡­Except for Cy.¡±

    Asher laughed a little. ¡°I suppose that all siblings have their pros and cons.¡± He parked, turning off his vehicle and they both got out.

    ¡°This is the office building for your father¡¯s company?¡± Daphne asked, noticing that the brick building it front of them was not as tall as she expected.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Asher asked, looking at her sideways.

    ¡°Nothing bad,¡± she replied, holding her arms up, her palms facing him. ¡°I¡¯m just surprised,¡± she admitted. ¡°I figured it would be taller, modern, and in the city.¡±

    Asher nodded. ¡°It is a smaller, privately owned company,¡± he reminded her. ¡°It¡¯s also much cheaper to be in the outskirts of the city than directly in it. We have been talking about getting updated in the near future, though,¡± he added.

    ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± Daphne agreed as they began strolling towards the entrance, Asher¡¯s car honking in the locking sequence behind them.

    The interior looked as though it had last been renovated in the 1990s. There was a massive wooden desk in the lobby that said ¡°Visitors¡± on the front of it.

    ¡°Good morning, Clark,¡± Asher said as he walked up to the man behind the desk.

    ¡°Mr. Hawthorne!¡± Clark exclaimed. ¡°You¡¯re here early today!¡±

    Asher nodded. ¡°Only for a little bit this morning.¡± Asher gestured at Daphne. ¡°I¡¯ve brought Ms. Woods in for an interview with the project management team up on the fifth floor, if you¡¯d be willing to prepare a visitor badge for her and let Ellie know that we¡¯re coming up.¡±

    Clark laughed. ¡°Ellie called me just a few minutes ago and asked me to prepare a badge for an interviewee. She¡¯s probably finishing up her preparations for her interview already,¡± Clark said with a nod at Daphne.

    The thin, older gentleman walked over to the far side of his desk and grabbed a badge. He brought it back, handing it to Daphne. The badge had the word ¡°visitor¡± written on a sheet of paper in it.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Daphne said with a small smile.

    ¡°Oh, my pleasure, young lady,¡± the man replied with a grin. ¡°Are you escorting her up, Mr. Hawthorne?¡± the man asked Asher.

    ¡°Sure am, Clark,¡± Asher replied with a sharp nod. ¡°Thanks so much for your help.¡±

    ¡°Anytime, son, anytime.¡±

    Asher started walking to a bank of elevators that was hidden in an alcove tucked behind Clark. Daphne was starting to shake a little. The reality of her first job interview in years was beginning to sink in.

    What if I blow it? Asher is putting his name on the line just for me to have gotten this interview in the first place. Daphne gripped her wrist tightly as one of the elevators dinged open in front of them.

    Daphne, you¡¯ve got this. She stepped onto the elevator. Asher smiled at her.

    ¡°Feeling nervous?¡± he asked.

    ¡°A little,¡± she lied.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it too much,¡± he said, waving her emotions off. ¡°I vouched for the quality of your work. Your resume is also extremely impressive for someone who has only been out of school for a few years.¡±

    Daphne gulped at Asher¡¯s statement. ¡°You put your reputation as a future owner on the line for my job interview,¡± she murmured, watching as the numbers of the elevator ticked upwards. ¡°How could I not worry about it?¡±

    Asher chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re worth it, and your work is worth it,¡± he told Daphne. ¡°There¡¯s no question in my mind that you¡¯re going to blow Ellie away.¡±

    The doors dinged open and Daphne¡¯s grip around her wrist tightened. Here goes nothing.

    The interior of the fifth floor looked more updated than the lobby of the building had. The desks were similar to the ones that they used at their shared workplace, including the capability to adjust them. The cubicle walls, however, looked as though they were straight from the 1990s.

    Asher led Daphne over to an older woman with blond hair that was tightly done up in a bun. ¡°Good morning, Ellie,¡± Asher said, tapping the woman on her shoulder.

    ¡°Ah, Mr. Hawthorne,¡± Ellie said, turning around, her blue eyes shining through a pair of clear glasses. ¡°Good morning.¡± Her eyes turned to fixate on Daphne. ¡°I see you personally brought Ms. Woods for her interview this morning.¡± Ellie¡¯s nearly invisible eyebrows raised up into her hairline.

    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Asher said with a half-smile. ¡°Unfortunately, Ms. Woods¡¯ transportation is currently unreliable, and since I recommended her, I wanted to ensure myself, personally, that she made it.¡±

    So, he didn¡¯t advertise that we are an item. Understood.

    Ellie eyeballed Daphne carefully, before looking back over at Asher. ¡°Shoo,¡± she told him.

    He laughed a little, then turned to Daphne. ¡°Let me know when you¡¯re done, alright?¡± he asked. ¡°And I¡¯ll take you to work after.¡± Asher turned to leave.

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Daphne agreed, before turning back to Ellie.

    Ellie was standing, a bright grin on her face, offering her hand for Daphne to shake.

    ¡°It¡¯s lovely to meet you, Daphne,¡± Ellie said as Daphne grabbed her hand and shook it.

    ¡°It¡¯s great to meet you as well,¡± Daphne replied, a smile on her face. Her stomach was still tied up in knots, but based on the woman¡¯s demeanor, Daphne couldn¡¯t help but think Asher had been right. She hadn¡¯t had anything to worry about at all.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to one of the conference rooms for your interview?¡± Ellie asked, gesturing and leading the way towards some rooms with the doors closed.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Daphne replied, her mouth running dry.

    Ellie opened up one of the rooms that had a small table in it, and two chairs. Ellie sat on one side of the table, and Daphne sat on the other.

    ¡°I looked over your resume when I received it from Mr. Hawthorne, and couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by it,¡± Ellie began. ¡°Mr. Hawthorne had mentioned that your quality of work was very high, and that you were quite dedicated to your job, but it seems you¡¯ve worked on some high-profile government projects as their project manager.¡±

    Daphne nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she said.

    ¡°That¡¯s remarkable for someone your age,¡± Ellie said, a soft smile on her face. ¡°Have you considered getting your certification for project management?¡±

    Daphne hesitated a little. Getting her certification before she had come back to the past was always something she had planned to do once Gary had found a job, and she was no longer financially supporting him. Yet, when he had left her life, she hadn¡¯t even considered going and getting her certification.

    Should I be honest? Daphne examined the woman in front of her. Somehow, I get the feeling that this woman values honesty over looking my best.

    ¡°It¡¯s something I¡¯d like to do,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°The biggest problem is that the certification test is a quite comprehensive, and I haven¡¯t had much time to study for it,¡± she admitted.

    Ellie nodded thoughtfully. ¡°That¡¯s understandable. Mr. Hawthorne has briefed me on the situation with the current workplace. I can¡¯t imagine it would be easy to study when you¡¯re working so many additional hours as well.¡±

    Daphne nodded. ¡°Most certainly not.¡±

    ¡°Would you be willing to describe the types of projects that are the majority of the ones that you¡¯ve worked on? How long were the projects? How many projects are you used to managing at one time, and how many people are typically involved? Those kinds of things?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Daphne began, before launching into a description of her work.

    As the interview continued, Daphne found herself analyzing Ellie¡¯s behavior and comparing her to Trevor. She seems so laid-back. She¡¯s kind, respectful, levelheaded¡­ I don¡¯t remember what Trevor was like during my interview with him¡­but I¡¯m going to guess it probably was not like this¡­I at least don¡¯t remember it being this comfortable.

    As the interview continued, Daphne decided that she really liked Ellie. She seems like she would be someone who¡¯s easy to work for. She doesn¡¯t seem like the type who is going to overwork me, and I feel as though she would try to remove work when I end up overloaded. If she offers me a job, I¡¯m going to take it.

    ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Ellie asked. ¡°I know you are currently working at a larger company, so in that sense, you¡¯d be downgrading.¡±

    Daphne nodded. ¡°I like the environment you¡¯ve crafted, though, and the pace of the work seems to better suit my needs.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for saying that,¡± Ellie said with a bright smile. ¡°Thank you so much for coming in today and interviewing as well. I really appreciate you taking the time out of your busy workday to meet with me.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for having me,¡± Daphne replied, returning Ellie¡¯s smile.

    ¡°If you¡¯d be willing to take the time to fill out an application, Mr. Hawthorne ought to be able to send you the link, that would be wonderful. And just so you know, he highly recommended we hire you. I was just the one who insisted that we do an interview before anything else.¡±

    Daphne felt her face flushing. ¡°Thank you,¡± she replied. ¡°I also appreciate the opportunity to interview and to get to know you and the work I¡¯d be doing here. I¡¯ll make sure to get the application filled out today.¡±

    Ellie¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Sounds lovely, thank you. Once that is in our system, we can get the paperwork drafted and get an offer over to you.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s eyes widened and she felt the smile drop off her face. ¡°You¡¯re going to offer me a job?¡± she asked.

    Ellie frowned, turning her head a bit to the side. ¡°Is that not what this was about?¡±

    ¡°N-no, I¡¯m, uh,¡± Daphne swallowed hard, tears stinging her eyes. Her heart felt like it was soaring in her chest. ¡°I¡¯m just really excited to work with you.¡±

    Ellie¡¯s smile returned. ¡°I¡¯m excited to work with you as well, Daphne.¡±

 Chapter 49

    Daphne hovered nervously at Trevor¡¯s door. It¡¯s time.

    She had gotten the paperwork from Ellie the day after her interview, and she¡¯d quickly signed, accepting a job that would increase her pay while simultaneously decreasing her stress.

    But at that moment, she was far more concerned about telling Trevor she was quitting, than she ever had been during the entirety of her tenure at the company.

    She took a deep breath. I stood up to Trevor recently, she reminded herself. This should be no different than that.

    She reached her hand out, knocking on Trevor¡¯s door. ¡°Come in,¡± his voice said from within.

    Holly was overjoyed when I told her. She was excited because I¡¯m going to get away from Trevor. This is just one of the steps I have to take to never deal with him ever again.

    Daphne swallowed hard as she opened the door to Trevor¡¯s office. Despite her internal pep talk, her stomach was still tight. She was confident that Trevor was going to be furious.

    ¡°Daphne,¡± Trevor said as she closed the door behind her. ¡°What can I help you with today?¡±

    I may be putting my two weeks notice in today, but that also means I have two more weeks of dealing with this jack ass knowing I¡¯m quitting.

    Daphne bit down on her lower lip, looking at the carpet in Trevor¡¯s office. She was struggling to find the courage to speak.

    ¡°Well?¡± Trevor asked, impatiently.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to turn in my two weeks notice,¡± Daphne nearly whispered. She looked up through her eyelashes to see if he¡¯d heard her or if she would need to repeat herself. His face was quickly turning red, confirming that he¡¯d heard what she had said.

    ¡°What?¡± Trevor asked darkly. ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    Daphne cleared her throat, adjusting her shoulders and her posture so she was looking right at her boss. ¡°I said I¡¯m here to put in my two weeks notice, sir,¡± she said.

    Trevor¡¯s face was continuing to redden, changing to the purple hue. There was a stack of files on his desk that he pushed off, a couple of them opening and spilling their contents onto his office floor.

    ¡°You¡¯re here to quit?¡± Trevor shouted at her, standing up. ¡°You can¡¯t quit!¡±

    Daphne shivered, seeing a glint of a threat in Trevor¡¯s eyes. Steady on, she told herself.

    ¡°I¡¯m fairly certain that I¡¯m legally allowed to quit my job,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°I¡¯m also fairly certain that I could sue you for trying to bully me into staying.¡±

    Trevor walked up to her, getting up close and personal. ¡°So that¡¯s the attitude you have now, huh?¡± he asked. ¡°You¡¯re so high and mighty with being Kimberly Woods¡¯ daughter, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°My job and my attitude have nothing to do with my mother,¡± Daphne said. ¡°I have asked for you to relieve my workload and you have refused. Instead, you¡¯ve piled more work onto me. The only person you came blame for my decision to leave is you!¡± Daphne was breathing hard, her hands at her sides in fists. Though she had been anxious to walk into his office, Trevor telling her that she wasn¡¯t allowed to quit was finally enough to let go.

    Trevor looked taken aback. He scowled at her, showing his rotten, yellowing teeth to her. ¡°You¡¯re fired, then!¡± he shouted back at her. ¡°Good luck trying to find a new job with a firing in your background.¡±

    Daphne snorted and laughed a little at him. She couldn¡¯t help it. All of the emotions she had felt towards Trevor were finally pouring out of her. ¡°What makes you assume I wouldn¡¯t have already found a job if I¡¯m putting in my two weeks notice?¡± she asked, glaring at Trevor. ¡°Of course I have a job lined up already. If you¡¯re going to fire me for quitting, it¡¯s you should watch out. Who¡¯s going to take care of the projects I¡¯ve been managing for the next two weeks? You ought to be thanking me for giving you any notice at all so that you don¡¯t have directors and managers upset that they don¡¯t have a project manager assigned to them anymore.¡± Daphne crossed her arms.

    Trevor¡¯s face was rapidly draining of color. What a dumbass. He only reacted in anger rather than taking into consideration the facts of his position. Should I make him eat his words or¡­

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    ¡°Will you stay for those last two weeks?¡± Trevor asked. Daphne noticed the fear in his eyes.

    He only gets nervous when his own job is on the line. I wish I would have noticed earlier.

    ¡°Of course I am,¡± Daphne replied, a smirk edging onto her face. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave on bad terms.¡±

    Trevor scoffed at her. ¡°If you think not leaving on bad terms means you could put me down as a reference in the future, you got another think coming.¡±

    Daphne laughed a little. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s not you I¡¯m hoping to not leave on bad terms with. It¡¯s the teams I support and my co-workers.¡±

    Trevor grimaced. It¡¯s done. This man no longer has any power over me. I¡¯m in control now.

    ¡°You really do think so highly of yourself, just as Fiona says,¡± Trevor murmured.

    Daphne¡¯s eyes flashed at the mention of her co-worker. So, all this time, Trevor hated me because of <u>Fiona</u>? She¡¯s been feeding him lies about me to make my life even harder?

    Daphne let out a laugh. ¡°I guess you¡¯ll find out for yourself what kind of worker I am once I¡¯m gone,¡± she said. She turned to exit Trevor¡¯s office.

    There¡¯s nothing he can do to stop me now.

    She left the room, closing the door behind her, and she let out a heavy breath. Her arms were shaking, and her breaths sputtered out of her like a shuddering engine. Her heart pounded in her chest. I can¡¯t believe I just did that. I can¡¯t believe I said all of those words to him.

    She placed her hand over her heart, breathing deeply to help calm her nerves. Her body felt lighter, as if all of the grievances she had been carrying from Trevor¡¯s behavior and presence in her life were finally resolved.

    Still, though. He¡¯s been taking Fiona¡¯s word on my performance instead of fairly assessing my work? What a complete putz.

    She breathed out heavily again, this time, her breath steadier. Her phone started buzzing in her pocket and she fished it out.

    ¡°Hello?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Hello, is this Daphne Woods?¡± a man¡¯s voice on the other side of the line said.

    ¡°Yes, this is her,¡± she confirmed.

    ¡°Hello, this is the Lakeview police department calling about your missing vehicle.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Yes!¡± she replied.

    Did they find who did it? Am I going to get my car back?

    ¡°We found your car,¡± the man continued. ¡°It¡¯s currently impounded and we are going to through it and collecting evidence. They¡¯ll give you a call once it¡¯s completed, and you can pick it up, okay?¡±

    Daphne breathed out a sigh. ¡°Is it damaged at all?¡± she asked. ¡°The thief didn¡¯t crash it or anything, right?¡±

    The officer paused, and Daphne¡¯s heart dropped. ¡°No, it is still in great working condition,¡± the officer stated. ¡°We had to impound it because when we found the car, the driver had filled the trunk with drugs, and there were drugs all over the back seat of the vehicle.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Drugs?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yes, Ms. Woods, that¡¯s correct. The department will be vacuuming it out, but I highly recommend getting it professionally cleaned once you pick it up.¡±

    Daphne swallowed hard. So whoever stole my car just took it on a joyride then.

    ¡°Thanks for letting me know,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°Did you also find the thief then?¡±

    ¡°We sure did,¡± the officer replied. ¡°And you were correct with who it was¡­It was indeed your older brother, Cypress Woods. I was actually calling to ask you if you¡¯d like to press charges against him.¡±

    Cy¡­does drugs? How long has this been going on? Does Mother know about it?

    Daphne gulped. Speaking of Mother¡­I bet she won¡¯t want me to press charges against Cy for this¡­I imagine she¡¯s probably going to try to blackmail me into dropping the charges if I try. Daphne rubbed her forehead with her fingers. Good thing I refused her for help, all of the times she offered it. There¡¯s no rug for her to pull out from underneath me.

    ¡°Is there any chance I can get back to you on that?¡± Daphne asked. ¡°I have a feeling things are going to be¡­complicated¡­since it¡¯s my older brother.¡±

    The officer chuckled a little on the other side of the line. ¡°That was the sense I got, too, as soon as your Mother showed up to bail out your brother.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s stomach twisted hard, threatening her breakfast. Of course, Mom would bail out her favorite son. I would expect nothing less from Kimberly Woods.

    ¡°Thanks for the heads up,¡± Daphne murmured. ¡°When will you need to know by?¡±

    ¡°We usually ask to know within a week, but given that next Thursday is Thanksgiving¡­¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart dropped. Shit. I completely forgot about Thanksgiving. She chewed on her tongue, wishing that weeks ago she hadn¡¯t been so proactive and telling her mother that she would be there for the family Thanksgiving this year.

    ¡°How about you have your decision to us by Friday the twenty-fifth?¡± the officer asked.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Daphne agreed. ¡°I will call you back by then.¡±

    ¡°Sounds great,¡± the officer said. ¡°Have a great day, Ms. Woods.¡±

    ¡°You, too,¡± Daphne replied. She heard the call end as she brought her cell phone down from her face.

    What do I do? The right thing to do is to press charges. I don¡¯t even know why Cy would steal my car in the first place, and he and I have never gotten along¡­standing up for myself is the right thing to do¡­ But what will happen with my mother?

    Her eyes trailed off to see Asher at his desk and cubicle. He had yet to turn in his two weeks, so he was looking over in the direction of Daphne, probably trying to see if she was done.

    ¡°What?¡± he mouthed at her.

    She just shook her head. She opened her texts and sent one to him that just said, Later.

    He sent her a thumbs up in response.

    I supposed I can always ask Asher. It sounds like he¡¯s had to play politics in his own family, so maybe he will have some insights.

    She pursued her lips and walked back to her desk, dreading Thanksgiving more than she ever had before.

 Chapter 50

    The credits of the movie they had just finished watching in Asher¡¯s condo scrolled across the screen as Asher snuggled deeper into the blanket on Daphne¡¯s lap. She laughed nervously, wishing there was more than a blanket between them.

    ¡°What did you think of the movie?¡± Asher asked Daphne, as he hit the back button on his TV remote, backing them out into the streaming application.

    ¡°It was pretty good,¡± Daphne replied robotically, playing with some of the hair against Asher¡¯s temple. His warm, clean scent filled her nose.

    He looked at her closely, and Daphne noticed that he was squinting his eyes at her. Did I miss something?

    ¡°What did you think of the movie?¡± she asked him, looking back to the screen, and at the actor¡¯s faces on it.

    ¡°I thought it was alright,¡± Asher said. ¡°There were a lot of plot holes.¡±

    Daphne nodded several times and looked back down at Asher who was still studying her closely. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± he asked her, his eyebrows pulling towards his forehead.

    ¡°Sure, yeah, everything is fine,¡± Daphne replied pursing her lips with a nod.

    Asher cocked his head at her response. ¡°It sure doesn¡¯t sound like you mean those words,¡± he pointed out to her. ¡°I¡¯ve been really worried about you since Thursday.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been worried about me?¡± she asked, feeling her eyebrows raise.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seemed preoccupied with something. You just haven¡¯t said much to me at all, even on our rides to and from work¡­¡±

    Daphne touched her forehead. He¡¯s right. I¡¯ve basically been ignoring him and he hasn¡¯t said a word about it.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡­¡± she let out a long, heavy breath. ¡°You¡¯re right, I have something weighing heavy on my mind. I¡¯m sorry about that.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± Asher asked, raising his eyebrows at her.

    Daphne paused, swallowing hard. She felt her stomach flutter at the idea of sharing the dilemma that was at the forefront of her mind.

    Asher seemed to notice her hesitance and sat up out of her lap, looking concerned. ¡°It¡¯s not about me, is it?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No, definitely not,¡± Daphne replied, shaking her head fiercely.

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief,¡± Asher said with a sigh. He looked away for a brief moment and then looked back at Daphne. ¡°Whatever it is, you shouldn¡¯t worry about sharing it with me. We¡¯re a team, remember? I went out on a limb, worried you wouldn¡¯t believe me or would think I was crazy when I told you that I had come back from the future. Look how that turned out for us. We got to bond over that shared experience.¡±

    Daphne nodded slowly, studying Asher¡¯s face. ¡°You won¡¯t judge me, right?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I promise not to judge you,¡± he agreed.

    Daphne pursed her lips and nodded a couple of times. ¡°On Thursday morning, the police called me about finding my vehicle.¡±

    ¡°They found it?¡± Asher asked, his eyes widening. ¡°That¡¯s incredible! When will you get a chance to get it back?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Daphne replied, an exasperated smile on her face. She let out a heavy breath. ¡°It¡¯s still in custody because when they found it there were drugs in it, and all over the inside of the car.¡±

    Asher¡¯s face paled. ¡°They¡¯re not going to associate that with you, right? They have to know it was the thief who put the drugs in your car, right?¡±

    Daphne nodded. ¡°They do,¡± she said. ¡°And the thief was my older brother Cypress after all.¡±

    In front of her, Asher looked triumphant. ¡°So it all worked out like you thought it would then!¡±

    Daphne scowled. ¡°I just can¡¯t get the mental image of Cy doing cocaine in my car¡¯s back seat out of my mind,¡± she admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to look at Cy or my car the same way.¡±

    Asher nodded slowly. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a pretty fucked up image to have in mind,¡± he agreed. ¡°I can understand why that might make it difficult.¡±

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    Daphne shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not what¡¯s making it difficult,¡± she replied sharply.

    Asher¡¯s arm that had been reaching out to her stopped short of her shoulder. ¡°Ah,¡± he replied. ¡°Sorry. What¡¯s making it difficult then?¡± he asked.

    Daphne chewed on the corner of her lower lip. ¡°The police officer asked me if I wanted to press charges against Cy or not,¡± she murmured.

    Asher narrowed his eyes at her, and cocked his head to the side. He doesn¡¯t understand what I mean. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have brought this up after all.

    ¡°Why are you conflicted about that?¡± Asher asked. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t that be an automatic yes? I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    Daphne sighed, running one of her hands through the length of her hair. ¡°I¡¯m certain my mother is going to be furious with me if I choose to press charges against Cy,¡± Daphne said.

    Asher shook his head a couple of times. ¡°Why is that a problem?¡± he asked. ¡°From my perspective, it seems more like you¡¯re enduring the relationship you have with your mother rather than enjoying it. I kind of get the sense that you¡¯d really rather not have her in your life at all.¡±

    ¡°Your assessment is correct,¡± Daphne told him. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind if my mother just disappeared off the face of this Earth.¡±

    ¡°Why have a relationship with her then?¡± Asher asked. ¡°Do you know how much I dislike seeing you so unhappy?¡±

    ¡°Because she¡¯s all I have as a clue for finding my killer,¡± Daphne replied with a heavy sigh.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree that Cy hired a hitman and was most likely your killer?¡±

    Daphne grimaced at him. ¡°We didn¡¯t decide that,¡± she replied. ¡°You suggested that and ignored me when I told you that I thought it was pretty unlikely that Cy was the killer.¡±

    Asher put one of his hands over his lips and then nodded at her. ¡°I have a tendency to do things like that. Sorry about that,¡± Asher said. He regarded her closely. ¡°What makes you so certain that the killer isn¡¯t Cy?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No matter which way I¡¯ve thought about it,¡± Daphne stated, ¡°There is nothing that Cy has to gain from my death. In some ways, he benefits much more by me being alive so that he can scapegoat me.¡±

    Asher nodded. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s a fair point, and it¡¯s not something I can really assess, not being from your family and all that.¡±

    Daphne nodded. ¡°It also doesn¡¯t fit with the glitter bomb note and my mother¡¯s reaction when I asked her if she had a child with another man. I confirmed the message in the glitter bomb. I think whoever killed me is somehow related to her affair partner. As far as I know, no one in my family knows she had an affair in the first place.¡±

    Asher nodded slowly. ¡°So, you think the person who knows might be trying to get revenge on your mother by killing you?¡±

    Daphne shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s the only thing that makes sense. If the killer really understood my family though, they wouldn¡¯t target me, they would target Cy.¡±

    Asher started nodding quicker. ¡°You know, your mother probably has a lot to gain by killing you,¡± he said.

    Chills shot down Daphne¡¯s spine. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s capable of it,¡± she agreed. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be the first time she¡¯s wanted me to not exist.¡± Daphne paused, hearing the words about how her mother wished she had gotten an abortion when Daphne was in the womb echoing in her mind. ¡°But what would she have to gain by telling me all of her secrets before ultimately killing me?¡±

    It was Asher¡¯s turn to shrug. ¡°Based on your descriptions of her, I wouldn¡¯t be all that surprised if she got some sort of sadistic thrill out of it.¡±

    Daphne nodded a few times. ¡°That would fit her personality,¡± she agreed. ¡°We¡¯ll keep her as a suspect for now.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Asher said with a sharp nod. ¡°But, back to if you should press charges against Cy or not. You¡¯re definitely in a sticky situation if your goal is to stay close to your mother to be able to determine who her affair partner was.¡± He paused, tapping his pointer finger on his chin. ¡°Did the police give you a deadline to let them know by?¡±

    ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°Next Friday. The day after Thanksgiving.¡±

    Asher grimaced. ¡°And you¡¯re going to see your mother for Thanksgiving for sure.¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Daphne said with a nod. ¡°And Cy too. My mother paid for his bail.¡±

    ¡°Jesus Christ,¡± Asher said rubbing his hand across his forehead. ¡°You are not kidding when you call him her golden child.¡±

    ¡°He can literally do no wrong in her eyes,¡± Daphne confirmed. She let out a huffy breath. ¡°I¡¯m nervous about waiting until the day after Thanksgiving to give the police an answer, because I¡¯m sure my mother will try to pressure me into not pressing charges against Cy on Thanksgiving.¡±

    ¡°Oh, she most certainly will try to get you to drop them,¡± Asher agreed. ¡°It¡¯s bad press for her new foundation.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Daphne replied with a dejected sigh.

    ¡°How do you feel about lying to them?¡± Asher asked. ¡°Will it be too much of a pain in the ass that it would come back to bite you hard in the future?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean telling them that you planned to drop the charges with all of them on Thanksgiving, and then turning around the day after, calling the police and saying you¡¯d like to press charges.¡±

    Daphne swallowed hard, imagining the rage filled look her mother would give her. ¡°My mother would be absolutely furious if I did that,¡± she told Asher.

    ¡°Would it hurt your search for the killer?¡± Asher asked.

    ¡°It might,¡± Daphne admitted.

    He sighed, running his hand through his hair. ¡°I guess I¡¯m not sure what other option there is. It seems like the safest option and we¡¯re starting to run out of time. It¡¯s also what I would do if I was in your shoes.¡±

    Daphne nodded, checking the date on her watch. It was November nineteenth. She had less than five weeks remaining until the day she had died.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Daphne agreed. ¡°It¡¯s at least worth a shot. Who knows, maybe I¡¯ll find out something important at Thanksgiving.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Asher said, planting a kiss on her cheek before laying back down, his head in her lap.

    Daphne¡¯s stomach fluttered, and she wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of the close contact with Asher or the prospect of standing up to her mother.

    ¡°Either way,¡± Asher added. ¡°I wish that we didn¡¯t have to spend Thanksgiving separately.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Daphne replied. ¡°It would have been nice to spend our first one together.¡±

 Chapter 51

    ¡°Daphne,¡± Fiona¡¯s snotty voice said. ¡°Trevor is looking for you.¡±

    Seriously? Daphne looked up from her work. Rather than the smile that Fiona typically had on her face whenever she told Daphne that Trevor was looking for her, Fiona looked upset and displeased.

    ¡°Did he say why?¡± Daphne asked, not bothering to hide the annoyance in her voice.

    Fiona scowled at her. ¡°Why would I know?¡± she asked. She snarled at Daphne. ¡°He said something about directors, or something like that.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart dropped as Fiona sat down on the other side of their shared cubicle wall. Daphne let out a heavy sigh. Maybe Trevor found a way to get me out of this company sooner than my two weeks were supposed to be.

    Daphne dragged herself up out of her office chair and began her daunting journey to Trevor¡¯s office. Her stomach twisted around inside of her. This is probably one of the last times I¡¯ll be going to Trevor¡¯s office. And still, the feeling of dread has not lessened at all. I bet I would feel this way walking this path if I ever came back to this office in the future.

    She reached Trevor¡¯s office door and took a deep breath, trying to steady her dizzying reaction to being at the threshold of his office again. If he let¡¯s me go early, I¡¯ll be fine, Daphne reminded herself. I have quite a chunk of savings since I haven¡¯t been throwing money to my worthless boyfriend like I was during my first go at this life. Plus it would only be a week and a half early.

    Still, Daphne swallowed hard, her hand shaking a little as she knocked on Trevor¡¯s door. This very well could be the last time I ever have to knock on this door to see my wretched boss.

    ¡°Come in!¡± Trevor said through the door.

    Daphne opened the door, staring at the carpet as she let herself into the room, closing the door behind her.

    ¡°You asked for me?¡± Daphne murmured before looking up at Trevor. She took a step back, having to clamp her jaw shut as she took in the haggard man in front of her.

    This¡­is Trevor?

    His eyes were sunken in, and his face was pale and wan. A wedding ring sat in the center of his desk as if he had been playing with it instead of working.

    I didn¡¯t even realize he was married¡­

    Daphne had to swallow some bile. So, he was cheating on his wife with Fiona?

    ¡°¡­Are you alright?¡± Daphne asked. Trevor¡¯s blue eyes met hers.

    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m alright?¡± he snapped at Daphne, before he sighed, putting his head in his hands. ¡°Asher put his two weeks in almost immediately after you, and ever since that day, everything has been falling apart.¡± He regarded Daphne warily. ¡°Ever since that day I¡¯ve been getting tons of messages and requests from both managers and directors about seeing if there was anything I could do to get either of you to stay.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart soared. At least I was valued by someone in this shit hole organization. She peered down at the broken man in his manager chair. He was the very man who had made her life at work absolutely hell. He¡¯s finally getting what he deserved all along.

    ¡°You know what else happened on that day?¡± Trevor asked, narrowing his eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Daphne asked, feeling a lump grow in her throat.

    ¡°An investigation was launched into me that very afternoon.¡± Trevor was staring daggers into her eyes.

    Don¡¯t look away, she told herself.

    ¡°Do you know anything about that?¡± Trevor asked, cocking his head to the side and raising his eyebrows.

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Daphne replied, pursing her lips.

    But I imagine it¡¯s probably Asher¡¯s doing, she added in her mind.

    She had to hold back a smile by pressing her lips together tighter. How amusing it is to see him crushed under the weight of his own actions.

    ¡°Are you absolutely certain?¡± Trevor asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t hear anything from any of the other employees either?¡± He crossed his arms on his desk, studying Daphne closely.

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    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything,¡± Daphne replied, feeling her smile tugging at the corners of her lips again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear you¡¯re dealing with that, sir,¡± she said.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m really sure you are,¡± Trevor snapped back, with a deep frown, looking like he didn¡¯t believe a single word she said.

    Daphne nodded, not really sure what else to say.

    ¡°Well, whether you were the cause of it or not, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be happy to learn that I¡¯ve been fired.¡±

    Daphne bit down on one of her cheeks, having to fight even harder to keep the smile off of her face. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine why you think I would be happy to see you fired, sir,¡± Daphne replied.

    Trevor narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°Keep telling yourself that,¡± he murmured. He cleared his throat. ¡°Either way, I will be gone the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, and my boss gave me one more task.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Daphne asked, raising her eyebrows.

    ¡°I am supposed to counteroffer whoever you might be quitting for,¡± Trevor said, kicking his boots up onto the desk. ¡°They want to offer you my position instead to keep you here.¡±

    Daphne felt her eyebrows shoot up, and her mouth threatened to fall agape once more. ¡°What?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I think I probably don¡¯t need to repeat myself,¡± Trevor said, scowling at her.

    Why me? Why not Asher? Why not someone else on the project manager team? I¡¯m sure there would be other¡¯s far more suited to the role than I¡­ Daphne thought of Holly. She would be a far better manager than me. She may not have been working this job as long as I have, but she has far more leadership skills than I do.

    ¡°I-I see,¡± Daphne replied, not quite sure what to say again. While it wasn¡¯t unusual for Trevor to leave her at a loss for words, it had never been a positive reason before.

    ¡°Of course it would be a significant pay bump per year. There are additional benefits to the role, like being able to go to conferences and have your professional certification paid for every year by the company. Among other benefits, of course.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart fluttered and her stomach tightened. If I stay, those are all such big bonuses. But I would have to manage the team¡­in a lot of ways that would be really hard because I¡¯ve been so standoffish with them this entire time¡­ She swallowed hard, feeling the temptation rush over her.

    But with the new job, I¡¯m already going to get a lot of those benefits he just mentioned anyway¡­I will get a pay raise, and I won¡¯t have to manage people¡­plus there would be the added bonus of still getting to be near Asher, and knowing there¡¯s a good chance that the killer won¡¯t know where I work.

    ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Trevor asked, a smirky smile plastered on his face.

    I can¡¯t do it. A manager role is just not for me.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Daphne said, frowning. ¡°But I¡¯m not really interested.¡± She looked around the room. It could have been her office, but there was a part of her that knew she would always see it as Trevor¡¯s office.

    I have too many bad memories here. Even the walk to my office every day would be difficult, because I would always be reminded of Trevor and how he treated me.

    The smile fell off of Trevor¡¯s face. ¡°What did you just say?¡± he asked. ¡°You¡¯re not interested?¡± He sat up, pulling his shoes off the desk in front of her, eyeballing her closely.

    ¡°I prefer to work with projects and the teams working on those projects,¡± Daphne replied. As soon as the words left her mouth, she knew they were true. If it was anything she absolutely did love about her job, it was how many new people she got to meet and interact with on a regular basis.

    Trevor pulled himself out of his chair, landing on his knees next to his desk. Daphne took another step backward. What?

    ¡°Daphne,¡± Trevor murmured. ¡°Please reconsider. I¡¯m telling you, this place will be so much better for you with me gone and you running it.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s eyebrows knitted together, and she felt her eyes narrow as she frowned. Trevor is <u>begging</u> me to stay? I never thought I¡¯d see anything like this in my life. He must be getting something out of convincing me to stay and be the manager. She shook her head at him. It¡¯s the only thing that makes sense with the kind of person that he is.

    ¡°No thank you,¡± Daphne replied firmly again. ¡°I have no interest in being a manager.¡± She turned on her heel and walked out of Trevor¡¯s office for the last time.

    What the fuck was that?

    ~

    Daphne¡¯s stomach lurched. What the hell kind of power trip is Mother on? She made her maid work on Thanksgiving? She¡¯s not even going to let her maid spend the holiday with her own family?

    Lily came out with a heaping plate of food and sat it in front Kimberly. Out of all of the things my mother could do, having a maid provide service on a holiday is one of the most entitled. I hope she¡¯s at least paying her well for the time.

    The seating arrangement was exactly the same that it had been for the family dinner where Kimberly had revealed the Kimberly Woods Foundation. Kimberly was on Daphne¡¯s left, and on her right sat her brother Ollie. Once again, across from her sat her older brother Cy and his girlfriend Victoria, who seemed to be one of the longest-term girlfriends Cy had ever had. Daphne wasn¡¯t sure what to make of Victoria¡¯s presence¡­She found it hard to believe that Cy was trying to settle down, finally, as most people who were trying to settle down didn¡¯t steal cars and do drugs in them.

    Daphne hadn¡¯t looked at her older brother once she¡¯d sat down at the dinner table. Unlike the last dinner, the air was thick with a tension that no one seemed to want to comment on or acknowledge. She wondered if part of it was because half of the table knew that Cy had stolen her car, only for their mother to bail him out.

    As Lily put down a plate in front of Cy, Daphne finally looked at him, and felt her stomach turn at the sight. His pupils were as large as saucers and he had deep, almost bruise like bags under his eyes. His hair was a mess, and his cheeks were sunken a little, as if he hadn¡¯t been eating enough.

    What the hell? It¡¯s only been about a month since I last saw him¡­how could so much have changed in that short timeframe? When did he get hooked on drugs? Daphne swallowed hard. On TV he always looks like a well put together business owner. Why has mother never mentioned that Cy has a drug problem?

 Chapter 52

    Lily left again, and Daphne looked away from her older brother. What must Mother think if her golden child is doing drugs? Or does she just write it off as a bid for her attention?

    Daphne¡¯s stomach turned. I bet mother doesn¡¯t even bat an eye at it. She probably sees him doing drugs as completely harmless. Daphne¡¯s hands balled up into fists underneath the table. From my experience, his doing drugs is anything but harmless. Maggie had to go out of her way to pick me up for Thanksgiving today because my car is still impounded.

    She clenched her jaw. I can¡¯t get angry, she reminded herself. It¡¯s too dangerous. I¡¯ll get my justice tomorrow when I call the police and tell them that I do want to press charges against him.

    Lily continued to pass out plates and Kimberly gently tapped her fork against her bubbling champagne glass. ¡°If I may,¡± she said, as the little bit of chatter in the room died off. ¡°I would like to say a few words before we get to eating.¡± She smiled, and Daphne could tell she was trying to use the serene, signature, Kimberly Woods smile that she used on TV.

    Daphne¡¯s stomach growled at the scent of the heaping plate of food sitting in front of her. What would I pay to be a part of a family that doesn¡¯t have to give speeches right before a dinner? How great it would be to just be able to dig in.

    ¡°I¡¯m so grateful that we all get to be together on this absolutely beautiful Thanksgiving day,¡± Kimberly said, the serenity of her smile not cracking. Daphne looked up at Victoria and noticed that her eyes were just as wide as her brother¡¯s.

    What the fuck? I understand needing to get through Thanksgiving high¡­Kimberly Woods is still my mother¡­but I can¡¯t understand actually following through with it.

    Daphne¡¯s eyes drifted over to her mother¡¯s face as she continued talking. ¡°Now that we are all together again, these days I am reminded of an old saying¡­ ¡®blood is thicker than water.¡¯¡± Kimberly¡¯s smile brightened. ¡°It¡¯s important for family to stick together, as no one will ever love you more than your own family. Nothing can ever compare, or come close.¡±

    Daphne grimaced a little, and then hid it as Kimberly¡¯s eyes scanned over her face. If this is love, then I want no part in it. Daphne¡¯s stomach rolled again.

    ¡°Families have to take care of one another,¡± Kimberly continued, ¡°Come what may. No matter what perceived hurts may come in between family members.¡± Kimberly¡¯s look sharpened for a moment at Daphne, before her smile came back and she continued to look around the room.

    Daphne looked down at her plate and scowled. So, I¡¯m supposed to let myself get fucked over by Cy simply because we¡¯re family? If Daphne was alone, she knew she would have barked out a sarcastic laugh. What a fucking joke this family is.

    ¡°¡­we all have to have one another¡¯s backs,¡± Kimberly continued. ¡°We have to stick together, and do our best for one another, so that nothing can come in between us, and no one can tear us down.¡±

    You mean¡­so that Kimberly Woods can continue to look like she has the perfect family.

    ¡°I love all of my children and grandchildren, in their own special ways,¡± Kimberly said. Lily placed one of the last plates right in front of Maggie¡¯s youngest daughter. The only person who was missing a plate now was Viola.

    Finally. Daphne¡¯s stomach gurgled at her. I¡¯ve literally eaten nothing today in anticipation of this meal.

    ¡°As soon as Viola gets her plate,¡± Kimberly said, gesturing at the last Woods sibling, ¡°Let us dig in, remember to be grateful for one another, and be joyous!¡± Kimberly lifted her champagne glass into the light, the golden liquid glowing. She brought it down and took a drink.

    ¡°Mother,¡± Maggie¡¯s voice said. Daphne turned her head to look at her older sister. ¡°Would you mind if I say a few words myself?¡±

    Ugh. Why Maggie? Why? I just want to eat!

    ¡°Of course,¡± Kimberly said brightly. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re willing to share with us.¡± At the end of her sentence, her voice sharpened.

    She is very much not happy Maggie wants to share. And neither am I.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Maggie said with a small smile. ¡°I just really wanted to address the elephant in the room.¡±

    Daphne swallowed hard. Surely, she doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s going to bring up my car, right? Daphne¡¯s palms started sweating. Surely not, right?

    ¡°Despite your honeyed words, Mother, you sure do hide a lot from your children,¡± Maggie said. She paused, taking a deep breath.

    Oh no, oh no, no, no¡­She¡¯s really just going to go for it, isn¡¯t she?

    ¡°Not to mention that your logic about families only applies when there are not members of the family actively tearing one another down.¡±

    Daphne looked over at her mother, who¡¯s lips were nearly an invisible line on her face they were pursed so tightly.

    ¡°Are you done?¡± Kimberly snaped, sneering at Maggie. Maggie didn¡¯t reply, and Daphne turned and noticed she was staring at their mother dead on. Kimberly scoffed. ¡°What are you doing brining drama to our Thanksgiving, Magnolia? I don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re talking about. Let¡¯s move on from this, and eat, shall we?¡±

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    For once, I agree with Mother. I would much rather be eating.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re not even going to acknowledge what happened between Cy and Daphne?¡± Maggie asked. ¡°You¡¯re not even going to tell Ollie and Viola about how their older brother stole one of their older sister¡¯s cars and did drugs in it?¡±

    The room fell silent, and Daphne felt Ollie¡¯s elbow in her side. ¡°Is that true?¡± he muttered under his breath to her. She glanced over at him in the corner of her eye, and nodded slightly, just enough for him to notice, and, hopefully, not their mother.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to acknowledge how Cy and Victoria look completely high out of their minds at our family Thanksgiving?¡± Maggie asked, gesturing over at the couple sitting next to her husband.

    Kimberly¡¯s fork clattered against her plate. ¡°What could you possibly be talking about, Magnolia?¡± Kimberly barked. Daphne could tell the words were coming out through gritted teeth, despite the bright tone of the words. ¡°Stop making up lies.¡±

    ¡°Oh, but it¡¯s not a lie,¡± Maggie said, crossing her arms. ¡°You were the one who bailed Cy out, and that¡¯s the only reason he¡¯s here with us today. You didn¡¯t even bother to consider how Daphne might feel being sat across from the very person who stole her vehicle, did you?¡±

    Kimberly shook her head. ¡°The police said the whole ordeal was a mistake,¡± she said, partially acknowledging the truth of the matter. She turned and looked at Daphne, her face fierce. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Daphne?¡± Kimberly asked.

    This is a test. She wants to know where my allegiances lie¡­if I¡¯m going to take her and Cy¡¯s side in the whole car theft matter, or if I¡¯m going to stand up for myself and side with Maggie. Daphne swallowed hard. This was the very thing I was afraid was going to happen. She chewed on her lip, trying to come up with her answer. At the same time that I need to figure out who my mother¡¯s affair partner is, I also have to recognize that I¡¯m already tired again of being bullied by my mother.

    Daphne cleared her throat and met her mother¡¯s crystal blue eyes. ¡°It was most certainly not a mistake made by law enforcement,¡± she said firmly.

    ¡°Daphne!¡± Kimberly screamed, standing up so rapidly the chair she was sitting on tipped over onto the ground with a loud bang.

    Daphne flinched. Whenever her mother started screaming, all hell was about to break loose¡­whether that was hands flying at her, or words.

    ¡°Just like how you¡¯re not going to tell your kids about how you cheated on Dad and had an affair with another man, are you?¡± Maggie¡¯s steady voice asked.

    Daphne¡¯s head whirled over to her older sister. How does she know that?

    ¡°Just like how you¡¯re not going to tell us that one of the five of us isn¡¯t father¡¯s child. You had the child of that other man, and forced Dad to raise the child as if it were his own.¡±

    A lump formed in Daphne¡¯s throat. How did Maggie find that out? Her mind drifted to the glitter bomb. Surely it wasn¡¯t Maggie who sent that? Surely Maggie isn¡¯t my killer, right? What reason would she have to kill me? She swallowed hard, trying to reduce the swirl of emotions inside of her.

    Kimberly¡¯s face was murderous. She had her dinner knife still in hand and was pointing it in Maggie¡¯s general direction. Her perfectly composed face was just the opposite; it was scrunched up, red and puffy. Her lips were shaking. ¡°T-that¡¯s a l-l-lie!¡± Kimberly shouted finally.

    Daphne shook her head a little at herself. Maggie is probably not my killer. She¡¯s probably been looking into this for her own reasons. I don¡¯t know if this same thing happened in the past or not because I talked to neither of them the first go around.

    ¡°Do you think I would accuse you of such a thing without proof?¡± Maggie asked, pulling out a large, manilla envelope from underneath the table and putting it in front of her. ¡°Would you like to tell the others which one of us it is, or would you like me to?¡± Maggie asked.

    The lump in Daphne¡¯s throat grew, and her stomach rolled around inside of her. Maggie would have told me in advance, if it was me, right?

    ¡°I¡¯d also really love it if you¡¯d tell us if it¡¯s the child¡¯s father you¡¯ve been getting all of your money from,¡± Maggie said smugly. ¡°After all, that money should be going towards taking care of the child, right? Gardeners don¡¯t make as much money as you do, Mother.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s eyes widened. She¡¯s right. I don¡¯t ever remember the last time Mother actually competed and won prize money. It was never enough money to afford her such a luxurious lifestyle in the first place. I never even considered¡­that money could be a part of this.

    ¡°You¡¯ve lost your God damn mind, Magnolia!¡± Kimberly shrieked. ¡°How dare you bring your fucked up lies into our happy family Thanksgiving?¡±

    Maggie shook her head, smirking a little. ¡°I figured you¡¯d probably do it the hard way,¡± she said. ¡°You always do, anything to cover up your misdeeds and make yourself look good, right?¡± Maggie opened the envelope and pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it across the table to Oliver.

    ¡°The one who isn¡¯t Dad¡¯s child¡­¡± Maggie paused, and Daphne noticed there were tears on the cusp of falling from Maggie¡¯s eyes. ¡°¡­is Viola.¡± She looked back over at Kimberly. ¡°Who is Viola¡¯s father?¡± Maggie demanded. ¡°Viola deserves to know!¡±

    Ollie handed the DNA tests to Daphne. At the top was Viola¡¯s full name. Beneath, there were two names, Maggie¡¯s and Viola¡¯s. The conclusion was ¡°probable half-siblings.¡± Daphne flipped to the next page, where it had Viola¡¯s name and her father¡¯s¡­Ian Woods. ¡°Not biologically related.¡±

    Daphne covered her mouth. A mixture of emotions swirled through her. At the same time that she was grateful and relieved that Ian Woods was her father, she felt pity and despair for her younger sister. She¡¯s only seventeen years old. And now she¡¯s found out that she doesn¡¯t even know who her real father is.

    ¡°Leave, Magnolia,¡± Kimberly said, pointing her knife downward on to the plate, and dragging it across the edge of it, making a shrill, shrieking noise. ¡°Now.¡±

    Maggie stood up, Michael standing up next to her. Maggie grabbed the hand of the daughter who was sitting next to her, and gently tugged. The girl got up reluctantly, while Michael came around and snatched the younger one out of her chair. ¡°I¡¯m going to file for custody of Viola,¡± Maggie informed her mother.

    ¡°On what grounds?¡± Kimberly snarled.

    ¡°On the grounds of child abuse and neglect,¡± Maggie shot back. She turned and walked with her daughter and Michael, out of the room, just as Kimberly threw the knife towards where they had been standing.

    Daphne¡¯s guts twisted, and her chest felt heavy.  I need to leave. This version of Mother is far more dangerous than the one¡¯s I¡¯ve dealt with in the past.

    ¡°Whoa,¡± Cy said, his words slurred. ¡°Mom, why are you throwing knives at Victoria?¡±  he asked.

    ¡°Shut up, Cy,¡± Kimberly said. She turned to Daphne and Ollie. ¡°Do you think I just meant Maggie?¡± Kimberly asked. ¡°Get out.¡±

    Daphne, Ollie and Alexa all stood, Daphne still clutching the DNA test in her hand. Man I¡¯m really hungry. She filed out after her younger brother. What a shame that all of this went down before we got a chance to eat. Maybe Asher¡¯s family will have leftovers I can snag.

    ¡°Do you mind giving me a ride home?¡± Daphne asked Ollie.

    ¡°Sure,¡± he replied with a curt nod.

    The car was silent, as they were all likely still processing what had just happened.

    Viola is only my half-sibling. Daphne shook her head. This confirms what the author of the glitter bomb said. Mother did have an affair and have another man¡¯s child. She pursed her lips. All I have to do now is figure out who Viola¡¯s father is to be one step closer to the woman who is most likely¡­my murderer.

 Chapter 53

    ¡°Thank you for coming and bringing leftovers,¡± Daphne said as she opened up one of the containers from Asher on her counter. The heavy scent of Thanksgiving leftovers filled Daphne¡¯s nose. ¡°Mm, my God, I missed out today.¡±

    ¡°Warm me up a plate as well, would you?¡± Asher asked as he walked over to Daphne¡¯s couch and pet Tanpopo.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Daphne replied, pulling out another plate from her cupboard. She began plating the first batch of leftovers before popping them into the microwave and starting it.

    ¡°Tanpopo is so adorable!¡± Asher exclaimed, scratching under Tanpopo¡¯s chin, just the way he liked. Tanpopo was squeezing his eyes shut in pure bliss.

    ¡°Right?¡± Daphne asked with a grin.

    ¡°So, your mother really made you all leave without eating?¡± Asher asked. ¡°Just because your older sister struck a nerve?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Daphne replied, with a half-smile. ¡°Struck a nerve is putting it mildly,¡± she replied. The microwave beeped at her and she removed the plate, stirring the food around on it.

    ¡°What is she going to do with all of that extra food?¡± Asher asked. ¡°That¡¯s so much food for one woman¡­¡±

    Daphne shrugged and nodded as the microwave whirred back to life. ¡°With Viola still living there, and Cy and his girlfriend staying there, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll manage to get most of it eaten,¡± she said.

    ¡°Your older brother, who stole your car, is staying with her?¡± Asher asked, his eyebrows raised high up into his hairline. She smirked at him.

    ¡°My older sister confirmed that my mother bailed him out,¡± Daphne answered.

    ¡°Does your mother ever take your side for anything?¡± Asher asked.

    Daphne let out a single laugh. ¡°No,¡± she answered. ¡°She never has, and I expect she never will.¡±

    He sighed loudly as the microwave finished again and she pulled out the plate. ¡°That¡¯s so fucked,¡± he said as she put the second plate into the microwave.

    ¡°Yep, I know,¡± Daphne replied, pulling out a fork and walking the first plate over to Asher. ¡°Careful, it¡¯s hot,¡± she said as she put it down on the coffee table in front of him.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± he said. ¡°It still seems pretty extreme to me that she made you leave without eating. What did your sister say anyway?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Daphne hesitated a bit. ¡°She confronted my mother about not even mentioning the conflict between Cy and I, and then proceeded to reveal to the whole table that my mother cheated on our father. Then, on top of that, she proved it through a DNA test that my youngest sibling is our half-sibling. I think that about sums it up.¡± Daphne nodded and looked over at Asher. His jaw was on the floor.

    ¡°So, your older sister confirmed what was in the glitter bomb note?¡± Asher asked after he had taken a moment to compose himself.

    ¡°Yes, she did. Now, all I need to do is determine who my little sister¡¯s father is to be able to pinpoint the person who is most likely my killer.¡± She brought her plate over and sat down next to Asher on the couch.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s great news. Your older sister will probably be looking into it as well, right?¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± Daphne agreed before taking a bite of the turkey, which melted in her mouth. ¡°Oh my God,¡± she murmured. ¡°This is delicious.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it,¡± Asher replied with a small smile.

    ¡°My mom went way too far tonight,¡± Daphne added, dabbing at her lips with a napkin. ¡°I am thinking it may be too dangerous to be close to her while digging into this, so I¡¯m grateful that Maggie is looking into it, too.¡±

    Asher nodded. ¡°That makes sense. God, your family makes me grateful for mine, despite all of the problems we have.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Still, I¡¯m so sorry you had to deal with that.¡±

    Daphne shrugged. ¡°I wish I could just say it¡¯s something new, but this is just kind of how it¡¯s always been with her.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry you¡¯ve had a shitty parent your whole life,¡± he said, meeting her eyes. ¡°It could not have been easy for you to deal with.¡±

    Memories flooded Daphne¡¯s mind. There were so few good interactions she¡¯d even had with her mother. She felt a lump growing in her throat and she started blinking rapidly to clear the sting of her tears.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she croaked. ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s always been hard.¡±

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    Asher reached over and started rubbing her back in circles as a few tears squeezed out of Daphne¡¯s eyes. What would I give to have a sane family? There are fewer things I wouldn¡¯t give up.

    Her tears fell for a few minutes before she was able to get them under control. She looked up at Asher, who looked just as gloomy as she felt. I hope his Thanksgiving went well. Kind of seems like it didn¡¯t.

    ¡°How was your Thanksgiving?¡± she asked, wiping her eyes. ¡°Sorry I got carried away talking about mine.¡±

    Asher shrugged, the sullen look on his face not budging. ¡°It was the complete opposite of yours¡­it was entirely noneventful. Rose was pretty docile this year, since she and Landon are no longer together. Normally she would have been super lovey dovey with whoever she was dating in front of my father and I.¡± Asher scowled. ¡°Otherwise, this year was quiet more than anything else. My dad and I get along alright, but he¡¯s a pretty reserved man, so he can be pretty hard to talk to.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like it was difficult in its own way,¡± Daphne murmured.

    ¡°It was,¡± Asher agreed. ¡°I was hoping that the woman my father has been seeing might come to Thanksgiving, but she wasn¡¯t there either, so it just ended up feeling like a big time sink with little reward. All I kept thinking about was you¡­¡± He looked over at Daphne, their eyes locking. ¡°¡­and how much I wished you were there with me.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we should try to have Thanksgiving with just the two of us,¡± Daphne suggested.

    ¡°You mean kind of like how we are now?¡± Asher pointed out.

    Daphne chuckled a little. ¡°I suppose we are, aren¡¯t we?¡±

    Asher smiled, but the energy didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes. Daphne snuggled up against him, pulling him tightly against her. ¡°It still seems like something is on your mind,¡± she observed.

    He let out a heavy breath. ¡°The holidays are really hard without my mother,¡± Asher said.

    Daphne felt a pang in her chest before she felt a knot starting to grow in her stomach. She hadn¡¯t even had the energy to think about her father all day, and how it was already the third Thanksgiving without him.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Daphne mumbled. ¡°Nothing really can ease that pain.¡±

    Silence fell in the room for a moment. ¡°¡­do you know¡­what happened to her?¡± Asher asked, the pain palpable in his voice. Daphne pulled back away from him. His face was serious and his eyes were vacantly staring off into the distance.

    ¡°I only know what was in the news,¡± Daphne murmured.

    ¡°So, you don¡¯t know, then,¡± Asher confirmed.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±

    He let out a sigh before closing his eyes for a brief moment before opening them again with the same vacant stare. ¡°What happened isn¡¯t public knowledge,¡± he said.

    Daphne felt her body tingling. Oh my God. Don¡¯t tell me¡ª

    ¡°She committed suicide,¡± Asher said, meeting Daphne¡¯s eyes again.

    She covered her mouth, seeing the tears form in the corners of his eyes. I can¡¯t even imagine the pain. At least my dad didn¡¯t voluntarily leave us. He would have stayed with us if he had been able to.

    ¡°Oh my God,¡± Daphne said, finally getting her lips to actually form words. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    He shook his head at her. ¡°Why would the great Vivian Hawthorne commit suicide?¡± he asked. ¡°Even I wish I knew.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart ached again. ¡°You don¡¯t even know why?¡± she asked.

    Asher pursed his lips, shaking his head slowly. ¡°It happened about four years ago now, and Rose was the one who found the body. There was no note. The police looked everywhere in our house, and a note was nowhere to be found.¡± He swallowed hard, gritting his teeth as a single tear slid down his cheek.

    Daphne wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close to her. Her heart felt like it was going to burst for the man sitting in front of her.

    ¡°So much changed that day,¡± Asher continued, his voice sounding constricted. ¡°My mother was my hero, my biggest cheerleader, and my confidant. All of that was gone¡­¡± his voice broke as a sob tore its way out of his chest. ¡°¡­in an instant,¡± he whispered.

    Daphne squeezed him tighter, at a loss for words.

    ¡°Even Rose changed that day,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯s never been quite the same, since. My father lets her get away with so much more than he should because she¡¯s the one who found Mom.¡± He swallowed hard.

    ¡°It sounds like your whole family really loved her,¡± Daphne said.

    ¡°She was incredible,¡± Asher confirmed. ¡°I¡¯ve never met anyone else in the world like her.¡± He choked again and then cleared his throat. ¡°She was a warm, soft, kind woman. She is the kind of person I try to be.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s heart soared. ¡°You are those things, Asher,¡± she murmured into his ear. ¡°She would be so proud of who you are.¡±

    He coughed, another sob finding its way out of his chest. Daphne felt her own eyes pricking. He feels the way about his mother that I feel about my dad. Maybe even more so.

    ¡°She was an incredible gardener, too. She grew fruits and vegetables as well as her flowers for the competitions. She told me people often would ask her how she did it, and she would say ¡®it¡¯s simple! Just take care of your plants as if they are your own children!¡¯¡± He chuckled a little. ¡°No one ever took her seriously though. So, it always looked like she was able to do so much more with so much less than other gardeners.¡±

    Asher sniffled for a few minutes while Daphne patted his back. He chuckled a little. ¡°In the end, she was suffering greatly and told no one. I don¡¯t even know why she was suffering so much that she wanted to die.¡± He sighed. ¡°She was like that, though. Always putting others before herself.¡± Daphne pulled back from Asher and studied his face. He was shaking his head. ¡°Rose took it the worst of all, though. It¡¯s like time stopped for her that day¡­¡±

    ¡°Have you talked to her about it?¡± Daphne asked.

    Asher nodded. ¡°Of course I have. I¡¯ve tried to tell her that Mother would only wish for her to be happy, but Rose always finds a way to rebuff me.¡± He let out a heavy breath.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Asher,¡± Daphne murmured. ¡°There are never the right words to express grief¡­or to console the grieving.¡±

    Asher nodded, frowning a bit. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± he said. He looked up at Daphne and smiled a bit. ¡°Thank you for sitting with me through the grief.¡±

    ¡°Of course, anytime,¡± she whispered.

    Daphne¡¯s own heart had an icepick through it. I barely thought of my father today. And my father didn¡¯t choose to leave. She bit down hard on her lip. I can¡¯t imagine the depth of pain her death must have caused. But Vivian Hawthorne¡­suicide? Why? She was once the most successful gardener in the whole country!

    Asher wrapped his arms around Daphne and pulled her close. ¡°You¡¯re my favorite,¡± he told her.

    She let out a small laugh, wrapping her arms back around Asher. ¡°You¡¯re my favorite,¡± she said, squeezing him tight.