Love And Deception (Payback)

stant hum of projectors, a man clad in black sits alone. His dark clothes

The room feels heavy, matching the sadness on his face. His eyes show no emotion as he

e tired lines on his face, telling a silent story of someone looking for a break from the harshness of li

t for sore eyes, wearing the brightest smile, even though his life was far from perfect. Ho

***

ntered the house. He glanced at his old wall clock, not

the frown on Clara's face. "Are you

nting at the envelope Ryan was

excitement. "Take a guess," he teas

d mood, Ryan," she replied wi

nded her the envelope, and she snatched it f

nquired as her eyes da

ounced with infectious excitement. "I

lief. "You..." She paused, stifling further words with an exasperat

red, genuinely perplexed by his

rupted in frustration, her voice filled with disappo

l a great opportunity, Clara. I'll be working regular hours, we

"Are you even listening to yourself? This salar

prehend why she wasn't pleased with his new jo

aking ends meet! You're poor. How much longer am I supposed to endure this? We'

her, saying, "I know it's be

peak. "Just look at you. You're content being employed as a driver

e struggled to grasp why she was acting this way. He hope

ked with genuine concern in his voi

sion, but her frustration wasn't spent. "People talk every day. They say I deserve better. They say I dese

d uttered many things to him over the years, but this felt like s

ra,

interrupted him, determination

a breakup seeming unreal. After all they'd been through, he never exp

artment" He tried to reason with her. "I'

n," Clara reminded him with a sniff. "I'm a promising youn

voice barely rose above a whisper. "Wha

someone else, Ryan," Clara

rumbling about the lack of possessions worth packing in her clo

agine life without his girlfriend. Clara had threatened to break

yan's thoughts turned to all the times he had worked hard to pay her tuition over the y

see her talking to someone on the phone. She appeared ready t

a, let's talk

e me," she said, walking

d Clara get into the backseat without a backward glance, and just l