Still scrolling through the maps, William struck up a casual conversation. “How’s work?” he asked. “Your project’s all good?”
“Yeah,” I said. “So far, so good. You?”
“Can’t complain. I’m handling a new road construction project,” he said—government work, as usual.
Then he added, “What about life?”
I let out a small scoff. “Are you asking for real, or just making conversation?”
William smiled faintly. “Both.”
I stayed quiet for a moment before answering. “Still working on it.”
He nodded, then took a sip of his drink. “Oh—about Phoebe.”
My jaw tightened without me meaning to.
“You said her debt was fully paid off, right?” he continued.
I sighed, already tired. “Yeah.”
“Did you check who it came from?” he pressed.
“No,” I said. “She transferred it to Elena. I never asked her about it. I just know the debt was settled because Elena told me she donated all the money.”
“Damn,” he muttered. “I don’t even know what to say.”
He rubbed his temple. “Honestly I think she’s already found someone else to latch onto.”
“What do you mean?” I frowned.
“At the reunion fundraiser,” he said, lowering his voice, “Phoebe showed up with a new guy. Loud. Flashy. I’m pretty sure he was the one paying for everything.”
He let out a quiet breath. “She was showing him off all night. Big-shot lawyer from some firm—you know the type.”
I scoffed. “Whatever she’s doing, I don’t care anymore.”
He hesitated for a beat. “She was asking about you, though. Whether you were going to be there.”
I frowned. “Why the hell would she ask about me?”
William shrugged. “No idea. Astrid thinks she was putting on a show. Probably wanted an audience.”
He let out a breath, his tone tightening slightly. “Astrid kinda lost it when Phoebe asked her about you. Things got a little messy, but I shut it down. Didn’t want it turning into something bigger. You know how much she hates her.”
He glanced at me. “She hasn’t tried to contact you, right?”
“No.” I kept my answer short.
I let out a slow breath, then my gaze drifted back to Elena. She was still there with Haille, the two of them in their own small world. Calm. Whole. Far removed from the drama that should no longer have any place in our lives.
And in that moment, I realized one thing with absolute clarity. I didn’t want even the faintest shadow of the past reaching into the life I was fighting so hard to protect.
CHAPTER 23
Elena
Month-end close always did this to me. It compressed time until hours blurred together and basic needs quietly slipped out of reach. By noon, I was buried under accounts payable reconciliations, toggling between AP aging reports, AR schedules, and spreadsheets that refused to balance unless I stared at them long enough.
