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“Rebecca, where are you?” Stanley’s voice was urgent, the words coming out faster than usual. “Jeffrey’s had an incident. Can you come to Jelasburg?”

Rebecca blinked, slightly stunned. “What happened to him?”

“He passed out. He’s in the hospital now,” Stanley said, trying to keep his voice steady.

Rebecca’s tense heart eased just a little.

For the past month, nobody had brought up Jeffrey around her, and he hadn’t contacted her either.

The endless grind at work and the dinner parties she always had to wrangle her way through barely left her any breathing room. So when she heard something had happened to him, her heart automatically tightened up before she could even process it.

Maybe she just didn’t want Samuel’s dad to get hurt.

Or maybe those five years had left feelings buried too deep to ever pull out.

“He’s been having a rough time lately,” Stanley said, standing outside the hospital room, watching Jeffrey through the glass. Jeffrey looked gaunt and worn out. “Can you come see him?”

Rebecca paused for a moment. “I’m not a doctor. Me being there won’t help.”

Stanley sounded more urgent. “How can you know that if you haven’t even come by?”

Rebecca didn’t answer.

Stanley kept trying to convince her. “Just come see him, for how he’s treated you these past years. Stay until he wakes up, then you can leave–is that okay?”

“Sorry,” Rebecca said, pushing down all the guilt in her chest. “I’m swamped here–I’ve got too much going on. I’m hanging up now.”

“Rebecca, wait-” Stanley’s voice got lost mid–sentence as she pressed end, leaving nothing but silence on the line.

Rebecca gripped her phone tightly, countless emotions battling inside her heart.

‘Stanley wouldn’t have reached out unless things were truly bad,‘ Rebecca thought. But just like she’d said—she wasn’t a doctor, and her showing up wouldn’t change anything. Maybe it was better if their lives stayed separate from now on.

“Mr. Garcia’s calling again,” Mark reminded her quietly.

Rebecca looked down.

Her phone kept lighting up with Mr. Garcia’s number.

16:13 Fri, Oct 10 B

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a while before hanging up, then texted him: [Jeffrey and I have nothing to do with each other anymore. If it’s about

was so pissed he wanted

into the wall, his

didn’t agree?” Gregory asked, glancing at Stanley’s expression

and when it really counts, she just turns her back on him,” Stanley

hurt Ms. Jensen way too much before,” Gregory replied, shaking his head. “Of course

maybe it’s not about

would melt, she’d feel bad for him, and end

harsher than he meant. “She was the only one he ever cared for–when things blew up, did she try working through his issues? Nope. She went

word, just gave Stanley a long,

couple is supposed to stick together through thick and thin,” Stanley pressed on, his tone rising. “She was happy to share the good times, but when trouble hit,

Stanley spoke, the more his frustration boiled

of this mess was Jeffrey’s fault, but Rebecca couldn’t exactly wash her hands of

solve something, you have to know what the problem is,” Gregory said, always the level- headed one. “You know Mr.

never let anyone see his wounds, and he would never

attention.

to treat him well because of who he is now–not because of anything

that, Rebecca

this

put up with Mr. Hanson more than anyone else. That’s exactly why he saw her as the only one fit

share of blame too,” Stanley muttered,

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suggested. “I’ll stay with Mr. Hanson, and I’ll

right here,” Stanley

up, then at least his best friend could stick

Gregory didn’t argue further. While Jeffrey was still out cold, Gregory shot Rebecca a text: [Ms. Jensen, you really don’t need to worry too much. Mr. Hanson is just worn

back almost

to get some rest

polite as always over the

typing out a question:

Jeffrey’s health had always been perfect—his checkups spotless, and

“fainted” just seemed completely out

words almost immediately, and instead

was a tangled mess

little words–normally Rebecca could fire those off in three seconds flat, but this time she took almost twenty.

between those two, I’ll eat my damn phone,’ Gregory

that name in private; in public, she was always “boss.” “Are you thinking of heading to the airport? I can book your ticket if

Rebecca: “No”