But even with a bar in my hands, my mind kept circling the same image:
Lucy in that private room, hair loose, eyes red-rimmed, and my jacket swallowing her, as if she belonged inside it.
Like she belonged to me.
I finished the workout.
Took another shower.
Put on a suit.
And went to work.
By Monday, the building was alive again.
Northwell Holdings breathed like it always did, assistants moving with purpose, elevators gliding, security nodding as I passed. The world behaved. The world made sense.
Rowan fell into step beside me the moment I exited the elevator.
“She hasn’t left her mother’s side,” he said quietly.
I didn’t slow down. “And Emily?”
“She made Emily leave this morning for school.”
A flicker of approval moved through me before I could stop it.
Of course she did.
Lucy Bennett would sacrifice herself before she let her sister miss a class.
“What’s the status?” I asked.
“Stable,” Rowan said. “They are still monitoring. Still trying to determine the specific cause. Teller is there.”
Rowan didn’t volunteer an opinion. He waited for my next instruction like he always did.
“Schedule Teller,” I said. “Today.”
Rowan’s gaze flicked to me. “He’ll push.”
“Then push back,” I replied.
Rowan nodded once and then turned towards his office.
I walked in, closed the door behind me, and stared at my desk.
Everything was exactly where it should be.
I should have felt relief.
Instead, I felt tense.
There was no trace of her here. No proof that something had shifted.
Which was a lie.
Because I could still feel Lucy’s breath on my throat when she whispered,I don’t know how to do this.
