Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 20

Before I even finished talking. Cecilia across from me suddenly stood up, staring past me, and stuttered. “Hogan.”

Her eyes were getting even redder as she spoke.

Hogan quickly moved to Cecilia’s side in just a couple of strides, shielding her with his body. and demanded, “What the heck have you two said to her?”

He said “you two.”

That included me too.

When Hogan spoke, a vein on his forehead was throbbing.

He was clearly peeved.

For someone as usually cool as a cucumber like him, this was a rare loss of control, especially with Hilary standing right there.

In my memory, those two, mother and son, had never had a heated argument.

But now, for Cecilia’s sake, even his tone with Hilary had an edge to it.

Hilary seemed blindsided by how things had escalated, pointing at Hogan and saying, “I’m doing this for you, don’t you know that?”

After saying that, she stormed out with tears in her eyes.

Just as I was about to follow, I heard Hogan say, “In a rush to brown–nose?”

in my tracks,

you’ve got it all wrong, it’s not Xaviera’s fault, I accidentally let

me a

my hands

I said, “I’m heading back

let Hogan give you a

declined with a smile, “Nah, it’s out

it, the more it bothered me. After this afternoon’s drama, I figured my cover as the

had this nagging feeling that something bad was brewing.

Wallis

Chapter 20

notification snapped me out of my thoughts.

and, lo and behold,

those tempting digits, my

I call him nuts, or commend him for

was hesitating, a message caught my eye. [Tough day,

emotion to be read.

and accepted the money without a second thought, pondering whether I’d stumbled upon a new

all, Hogan was the finance whiz–kid with a Midas touch. He’d never let me get the upper hand for free.

putled up my

at my phone balance, I felt a wave of relief.

Jack sidled up to me and asked, “Xaviera, what time

clueless. “Heading out

off, he added in surprise. “He hasn’t told

normal