Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 46

When I saw Cecilia at the office the next day, the poor girl was as pale as a ghost, with dark. circles under her eyes like she hadn’t slept in a week.

She was naturally on the petite side, with fair skin, but right then, she looked like a frostbitten white rose, all frail and sickly, pitiful as can be.

Wallis stumbled upon Cecilia’s Facebook update and screenshotted it to me.

A lonely silhouette shot with the caption, [Your understanding is just because no one cares about you, right?]

Wallis, with that gossip–hungry look, was like, “Bet they had a lovers‘ tiff, huh?”

It got me wondering too.

I mean, Cecilia and Hogan hadn’t been an item for that long.

I started to think it might have to do with the love bite on my neck.

Cecilia was in that sorry state until the afternoon.

Just as Wallis was about to ask me if we should go and cheer Cecilia up, the studio door swung

open.

In came Hogan, with afternoon tea in hand.

Everyone greeted him like it was no big deal, and he just nodded hastily before making a beeline for Cecilia’s office, looked pretty urgent.

“Hogan, what brings you here all of a sudden?”

Hogan handed her a cup of hot milk and said, “Drink it while it’s hot.”

Cecilia replied weakly, “It’s just that time of the month, Hogan. You’re making a mountain out of

a molehill.”

properly, so their whole conversation fell on

out, it was that time

office. Wallis went up to chit–chat with Hogan, and Cecilia, looking all

got to me, she said affectionately, “Xaviera, there’s only hot milk left, hope you

not really my jam.

replied while tapping away at my code, “I’m not much for sweets, keep

had I said that than, out of the blue, “Splash!” A warm

1/3

12-21

Chapter 46

laptop!

off and a flood of liquid poured

bolt from the blue. By the time

too late.

sputtering sounds, my laptop

to…” Her delicate voice was close to my ear.

her off, my voice involuntarily rising a notch, “Even kids know electronics and water

drive was packed

coder like me, a laptop

couldn’t hold

eyes

caught

who was still talking to

over and, seeing Cecilia’s tear–stained face,

something was off and, spotting my laptop soaked in

eyes lowered, and she bit her

and covered her mouth, “Sorry, Director Irwin.”

then sheepishly glanced at me, “Xaviera, scold me

at a loss for words.