Chapter 13 - The Unscheduled Visit
The snow began to fall thick and heavy on the afternoon of December twenty-third, exactly two years to the day since Trent had placed his keys on our kitchen island and walked out into the cold.
I was working late at my desk in the foundation’s main office when a soft knock rattled my frosted glass door.
I looked up, expecting Julian or one of the administrative assistants.
Instead, standing in the doorway, looking smaller and more fragile than I had ever seen her, was Laya.
She wasn't wearing designer coats or brand-new winter boots. She wore a faded canvas parka with a faux-fur hood that had seen better days, and her sneakers were damp from the slush outside. Her hands were shoved deep into her pockets, her fingers nervously twisting the fabric.
"Can I... can I come in?" she asked, her voice barely louder than a whisper.
I stared at her for a long moment, the memories of the cancelled wedding, the abusive text messages, and the endless financial demands flashing through my mind.
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"The door is unlocked, Laya," I said evenly.
She stepped inside, closing it quietly behind her. She didn't sit down in the plush visitor chair across from my desk. She just stood there by the door, looking down at the polished hardwood floor.
