Chapter 4: The Truth He Hates

The rain started just after I got home that Friday evening, a relentless downpour that matched the storm churning inside me. I'd spent the week fortifying my walls higher than ever—skipping team lunches, routing all communication through email, even switching my route to the coffee machine to avoid the hallway where Marcus's office lurked like a predator's den. But the avoidance only amplified the ache, a constant throb in my chest that made sleep elusive and ...