His Masked Mistress

voice filled with a mix of hope and dread. "They say s

kled through the line.

he endless beeping of machines, or the forced cheerfulness of the nurses. But for Celine, he'd endure it all. She'd been so strong, carrying the weight of

s wide as she looked at him. "

ing her hand. "Let's go," he s

was more like a responsibility he hadn't signed up for. But as they entered her mother's room, the sight of the woman in

ice weak but filled with love. Celine leaned over and kissed her cheek, feeling the warmth of her mother's s

voice trembling slightly. "He's

ospital room. He took her mother's hand, his grip firm but gentle. "It's a

despite her condition. "Thank you for being he

edical jargon, while Josh listened intently, his face a mask of concern. When the doctor mentioned the cost of the next round o

e said, his voice firm and autho

r. She'd told him about their situation, but she never expected this. He'd paid he

omething on a clipboard. "Very well," he said, his tone a

her eyes brimming with tears. "Thank you," she whis

ssion unreadable. "It'

eyond their arrangement, a sign that maybe, just maybe, there was s

-

he chaos of beeping machines and endless doctor's visits. He sat with Celine through the nights, holding

ity skyline, he spoke up. "I'm not a good man, Celine," he said, hi

just another part of the game, or was there something real here?

relationship to be just about... that," he gestured vaguely towards the envelopes of cash

was wary. "What would your wife say?"

eyes intense. "It doesn't m

n client and provider blurred until they were almost indistinguishable. The money still changed hands, but it was no longer just fo

spers in the hallways, the knowing looks from the nurses, the fear that one day it would all come crashing do

news. When the doctor finally came out, his face a mix of relief and exhaustion, they both stood up, their hearts in their t

he allowed herself to lean into him, to believe that they could have a future together. But when the

n she couldn't ignore. She knew that their relationship was built on a foundation of secrets and lies, and that it could never last. But a