\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 5\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was going over project specs with a client in the conference room when the door flew open.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The boss walked in, beaming, with a man trailing close behind him. He clapped his hands to grab everyone\u2019s attention. \u201cListen up, everybody. I\u2019d like to introduce Vincent Cohen. He\u2019s a young tech prodigy and our company\u2019s new special consultant. He\u2019ll be heading up technology development, so please give him your full cooperation.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My hand went still. I looked up and met Vincent\u2019s gaze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was wearing a sharp suit, but he looked noticeably thinner than the\u00a0<\/p>\n
w him. His eyes locked onto mine with intense urgency.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0548.\u00a0<\/p>\n
owered my head, gripping my pen, and pretended I didn\u2019t know\u00a0<\/p>\n
How could a mid-sized tech firm like ours even afford him?\u00a0<\/p>\n
He usually refused to work with any company that lacked top-tier research capabilities.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After the introd\u00a0<\/p>\n
a, the assistant, stepped forward with a\u00a0<\/p>\n
smile.\u00a0<\/p>\n
show you around the office?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
move. He kept his eyes fixed on me. \u201cNo need. Let ow me around.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
conference room went dead silent All eyes shifted to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I looked up and forced a polite smile. I\u2019m sorry, Mr. Cohen, but I\u2019m\u00a0<\/p>\n
0.00%\u00a0<\/p>\n
|||\u00a0<\/p>\n
11.05\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 5\u00a0<\/p>\n
meeting with a client. Monica will show you around; she knows the company better than I do.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
288 Vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
Monica immediately chimed in, smiling. \u201cRight this way, Mr. Cohen.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent frowned, looking like he was about to argue.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I had already gathered my documents and stood up to address my client. \u201cMr. Duncan, we\u2019ll discuss the details later. Please excuse me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I turned and walked out of the conference room, but I heard footsteps right behind me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent was following.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The moment the office door clicked shut, arms wrapped around me from behind.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He rested his chin on the top of my head, just like he used to, his voice heavy with guilt. \u201cBecca, I\u2019m so sorry\u2026 I didn\u2019t know you were pregnant. I\u2019ve missed you so much since you left..\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I went rigid. I shoved him away hard, stepping back to put some distance between us.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou saw the divorce papers, didn\u2019t you?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re done.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t accept that!\u201d Vincent stepped forward, trying to grab my hand. \u201cBecca, please, just give me one more chance.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I looked at him, and tears suddenly spilled down my cheeks. \u201cI left the country just to get away from you and Gia. I wanted to keep a shred of dignity. I didn\u2019t want to be humiliated. You\u2019ve loved Gia for years, and I stepped aside for you. Why did you follow me? Couldn\u2019t we just part with some grace?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
24.89%\u00a0<\/p>\n
11:05\u00a0<\/p>\n
I sniffled, my voice choking up. \u201cWe\u2019ve known each other since we were kids. Can\u2019t you even grant me that small kindness?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent\u2019s hand froze in midair, his eyes filled with remorse. \u201cI\u2019m sorry\u2026 Becca, I know I strayed during our marriage, but it made me realize something. You\u2019re the one I love\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cStrayed?\u201d I interrupted, shaking my head. \u201cYou never really cared about me, did you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wiped my tears and forced my voice to steady. \u201cYou and Gia are both important to me, and I genuinely wish you both the best. But I can\u2019t be around either of you anymore. Seeing you just reminds me of the betrayal. It reminds me of the baby I lost\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cVincent,\u201d I said, looking him in the eye. The love I once felt was gone, replaced by sheer exhaustion. \u201cPlease go. Don\u2019t come looking for me again.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent walked away, clearly unwilling to accept it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I sank into my chair, my body feeling ice cold.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Suddenly, my phone rang. The name \u201cGia\u201d flashed on the screen.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stared at it, hesitating for a few seconds before answering.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBecca\u2026\u201d Gianna\u2019s voice sounded awkward and tight. \u201cI\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t finish the sentence. The line went silent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After a long pause, she whispered, \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I closed my eyes. \u201cGia, you don\u2019t need to apologize. You\u2019re important to me, and I\u2019ve never forgotten that you raised me. If you had just told me earlier, I would have stepped aside. I wouldn\u2019t have made things difficult. But instead, you let me find out in the worst possible way.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
$1.62%\u00a0<\/p>\n
11:05\u00a0<\/p>\n
ZHE IVouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sobbing came through the receiver. Gianna\u2019s voice was thick with tears. \u201cBecca, I\u2019m so sorry\u2026 I never wanted to hurt you. I just couldn\u2019t control myself\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGia,\u201d I cut her off, my voice even. \u201cI respect you, and I know your life hasn\u2019t been easy. But if you really didn\u2019t want to hurt me, you would have rejected Vincent a long time ago. You should have made him give up. But you didn\u2019t. You accepted his advances again and again, and you gave him hope.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I paused before adding, \u201cI know all of this, and I don\u2019t blame you. I just\u2026 I need time before I can face you again.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gianna was silent for a moment before asking cautiously, \u201cAre you\u2026 settling in okay over there? When do you plan to come back?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI probably won\u2019t be coming back,\u201d I said softly. \u201cI like it here. I want to start over.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I hung up the phone. Once I had calmed myself down, I went back to work.\u00a0<\/p>\n
81.92%\u00a0<\/p>\n
11:06 m\u00a0<\/p>\n
Joseph King is an editor and storyteller who ensures every chapter is clear, polished, and engaging for readers.<\/p>\n
Nothing Fell Apart by Mark Twain 5 \u00a0 Chapter 5\u00a0 I was going over project specs with a client in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22838","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-unfaithful-husband-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22838","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22838"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22838\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22838"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22838"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22838"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}