Edward’s sudden voice startled me. I turned around to look at him, catching a flicker of annoyance in his eyes.

“Mr. Jennings, do you always enjoy eavesdropping on people?” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

Edward’s face turned a bit awkward before he tried to explain himself.

“I called and texted you, but you never replied. I was worried something might have happened to you,” he said, his voice dropping a little.

I gave a small laugh and said, “Or maybe I just pretended not to see your calls and texts?”

Edward’s face stiffened for a second, then he looked a bit resigned. “Yeah, that did cross my mind.”

“It’s getting late. I’m heading home now. See you,” I said, not wanting to stand here making small talk with him in the dark.

Edward stepped forward, blocking my way. “Aren’t you even a little curious about what Ryan has been doing these days?”

For some reason, that just pissed me off. I shot him a glare. “Mr. Jennings, are you seriously that bored? First you tell me to cut him off for good, then you turn around and feed me news about him. Do you get a kick out of messing with me like this?”

Edward’s gaze lingered on my face, and when he saw I was angry, he actually smiled.

“I just wanted to see your reaction. Sorry. If you don’t want to know, I’ll keep quiet,” he said, stepping aside to let me pass. “It’s almost the end of the year. You should be heading home for the New Year, right?”

“Yes!” I said, striding past him without another word.

I didn’t look back, but I knew Edward was still standing there.

It was almost New Year’s, and you could feel the holiday vibe everywhere. Huge red lanterns were strung up all over the neighborhood, their warm glow lighting up the way back home. While I was waiting for the elevator, my phone buzzed with a flurry of notifications. I figured it was just people sending New Year’s wishes in the group chat, so I didn’t bother checking.

When I got home, I flopped down on the couch, the scent of perfume still lingering on my wrist. I lifted my wrist to my nose, breathing in that seductive fragrance. As I closed my eyes, images I couldn’t put into words started to fill my mind. Ryan’s presence and scent seemed to linger in the air, as if he was still right beside me. The ache quietly seeped into my heart. Before I realized it, my eyes were rimmed with tears. I’d poured all my energy and time into work and trying to enjoy my own life, but when midnight comes and I’m alone with my thoughts, I still can’t escape the pain of missing him.

I picked up my phone, hoping to find comfort in the warmth of everyday life, to read the New Year’s wishes others had sent, anything to ease the ache of longing for him. The first message on my phone was from Isabelle, with a bunch of unread messages from her. My fingers shook a little as I scrolled through and saw that every single thing she sent was a photo.

It looked like some fancy event—everyone was dressed up, guys in sharp suits, ladies in classy dresses. And every shot Isabelle sent was focused on Ryan and Fiona, close-ups of just the two of them. They were sitting together, Fiona saying something, and Ryan turning his head a little, leaning in to listen. Ryan looked tall and straight, like a pine tree, while Fiona, just a bit over five feet, seemed so tiny and delicate next to him. She looked so sweet and clingy beside him, like she just fit right into his side.

Maybe it was something the family wanted, but in one of the photos, Fiona was covering half her face to the side with her pale fingers, her other hand reaching out to Ryan, looking all sweet and bashful. And Ryan reached out and took her hand, like they were completing some kind of important ritual.

My heart, already in pieces, felt like it was being stabbed again and again. My eyes locked on the screen; I kept looking at those photos over and over until tears blurred my vision completely. My eyelids burned red and sore. Finally, I tossed my phone aside and huddled on the couch, letting the tears fall.

At night, I could cry my eyes out like nobody’s watching, but when morning came, I’d suit up and head to work, looking like I had it all together. I put on a brave face and tried to power through the last rush of year-end work, but honestly, the spark just wasn’t there, no matter how much I pretended.

As evening crept in, I suddenly felt wiped out, and my head was a little foggy.

“Ms. Murphy, are you alright? You don’t look so great. Did you not sleep well last night?” Minnie asked with concern as she dropped off some files and saw me leaning back in my chair.

I opened my eyes and nodded. “Yeah, I’m just feeling a bit restless with the holidays coming up.”

“Someone rolling in cash like you actually gets excited about time off?” Minnie joked, grinning at me.

“Of course! Who doesn’t want a break?” I replied with a small smile.

“Ms. Murphy, if you’re not feeling well, why don’t you head out early? No need to push yourself,” Minnie said with concern.

I really wasn’t feeling well. Most likely, I’d caught a cold because I crashed on the couch last night and forgot to grab a blanket.

“Alright,” I said, packing up my desk and grabbing my bag before leaving the office.

As I got in the car, I was thinking about where I could find a clinic nearby—I needed to pick up some medicine.