Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 168

Hogan was dead serious when he said it.

Right in the spotlight.

I

And that kinda threw me for a loop. All I could muster was a weak “uh–huh,” my face totally betraying me.

After all, this whole “work” thing was just smoke and mirrors.

But I was not ungrateful. I was crystal clear that without Hogan stepping up to bat for me in tonight’s farce, I’d have been left high and dry.

But why, though? Mr. Brainiac himself surely knew the can of worms he’d open by speaking up for me, yet he went ahead and did it, way out of left field.

“All this hustle’s killed my vibe.”

That crisp voice snapped me back to reality. Next thing I knew, Hogan and Cecilia had vanished into the crowd, gone with the wind.

The others, seeing Timothy all wiped out, tried to cheer him up. But the guy was dead set on teaving. Looping his arm over my shoulder, he was all, “Xaviera is beat. Gotta take her home, right, Xaviera?”

Timothy gave me those innocent puppy dog eyes as he dropped that last line, grinning from ear to ear.

knew he was giving me the wink–wink, nudge–nudge.

“A

me out of the

lot.

I stopped dead in my tracks and saw Hogan and Cecilia

head hanging low, sniffling, “I just don’t get it. Why’d you have to lie for Xaviera?”

word “lie” pierced my

Cecilia was in on it?

not for her,” the guy sighed softly, his long fingers brushing

11:02

Chapter 168

His reasons.

my heart thumping

no good, so I nudged Timothy, “Is the

he read my mind, “It’s chilly here.

Timothy dropped me off at

a hint of regret, “Sorry for the scare

near humiliation, I sheepishly said, “I should be the one apologizing. Killed the mood.”

in his voice. “None of this. would’ve

suddenly the image of that mechanical cufflink flashed in my mind, leaving me speechless.

and I mean if, Sean really was FreeMan, Timothy’s guilt made