The Bound Between Us

Chapter 510

Annie couldn't get over how frustrating WhatsApp's design was. It was like the app had no idea how real people felt.

When you retract a message, it's because you don't want the other person to see it. But no, the app just had to announce that a message had been deleted.

It was like putting up a neon sign that says, "Hey, something's up!"

All Annie could do now was pray that Herman hadn't seen her message before she yanked it back. That he hadn't noticed the glaring "This message was deleted" notification. Talk about a social disaster.

All Annie really needed was to vent, to pour out her frustrations to Herman. She was just blowing off steam, thinking he had blocked her and wouldn't see her messages anyway. She treated the chat app like a secret diary, a place to unload her deepest secrets. Now, that diary didn't feel so secret anymore.

Her heart was doing somersaults as she waited anxiously. Then, her phone pinged with a WhatsApp notification.

Annie's heart skipped a beat at the sound. The very thing she dreaded most had happened.

Sure enough, it was a message from Herman.

Seeing his message was like a jolt of life, sending her pulse racing and bringing color back to her world.

For months, they'd had no contact. All she knew about him came from the news. They had retreated to their separate lives, no intersection.

message linked them together

just four words, but they brought tears to

he had

and there, under the glow of the street lamps, was Herman's car parked

He had come.

he would never

was he

she could run down to him, yet

warned her not to go. She feared Feiman's retribution. She had just regained some semblance of peace, and she didn't want that shattered. Her mother was too old for any more upsets, and Pattie

left the house, not even bothering to change her slippers or pajamas, running down

were silent in the early

his car, she peered through the

met, and it was as if time stood

was still cold, especially at

to wrap it

scolding, but concern and worry were

at him, seeing him up close after so long, her heart surged

who could