Chapter 8: Eavesdropping and Echoes

He set me down on the bed, tucking the blanket around me. Someone had changed the sheets while we were in the bathroom—no trace of Ethan’s scent left.

For once, I fell asleep quickly.

My dreams were all high school—chasing, running, falling. Voices echoed in the hallway outside the lounge, pulling me half-awake.

Cleaning ladies, whispering:

"You know who barged into the meeting room? Miss Hayes—Mr. Callahan’s fiancée!"

"What? She’s so rude!"

"He spoils her…"

"She looks just like his first love. Couldn’t get the real thing, so he settled for her…"

Their voices faded, but the sting stayed. I pressed the pillow over my head, trying to block it all out.