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.”

their whole

that time of the

emerged from the office. Wallis went up to chit–chat with Hogan, and Cecilia, looking all wan and feeble, started handing

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

was not really my

code, “I’m

that than, out of the blue, “Splash!” A warm cup of milk slammed onto

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Chapter 46

laptop!

top blew off and a flood of liquid poured all over my

the blue. By the time I came to and reached for a tissue, it was already

too late.

my laptop screen

I’m so sorry, I just wanted to…” Her delicate voice was close to my ear.

cut her off, my voice involuntarily rising a notch, “Even kids know electronics and water don’t mix.”

hard drive was packed

coder like me, a laptop was our lifeline.

hold

sobbing voice was breaking, her eyes rimmed red, “I really

caught

was still

over and, seeing Cecilia’s tear–stained

and, spotting my laptop soaked in milk, blurted out, “Who the

lowered, and she bit

gasped and covered her mouth, “Sorry, Director

and then sheepishly glanced at me, “Xaviera,

was at a