Chapter 35

• Cyrus :-|
• It had been a week since I’d returned to work, and in many ways, things felt normal. Barry and Brian had settled into their routine of constantly checking on me, and the café’s usual hum of conversation was a comforting backdrop to my days. But despite the calm around me, something gnawed at me deep inside. The month was ending, and with it, the contract I had with Darius. It wasn’t just a contract, though—it felt like something more. Something I wasn’t sure I was ready to let go of.
• But the truth was, as much as Darius cared for me, there was always that doubt, that question that lingered in the back of my mind. Would he still want me around after everything? I mean, I was a mess—full of family drama, baggage, and worst of all, the looming threat of my father’s reappearance. Who would want to stick around for that? Not someone like Darius.