A Decade Undone by Deceit

d absolute. On the other end, I could hear a

ckles white. My voice, when it cam

espo

automatic, the professional part of my brain ta

y said, her voice sma

ead. I didn't h

at Jaime Hodge' s downtown loft. I knew the address. He was a rising sta

, checked the projector, and arranged the coffee service. I was a machine, functioning on pure adrenaline and years

the meeting started, looking flawless and composed. No one wo

moothly. She was b

preparing the minutes, when s

..." she began, her voice

hout looking up from my screen. "I don

ts the company, it becomes my problem. You are the CEO of

me, shocked

nship, Ms. Spears?" I asked, my voice

on. All the guilt she might have felt vanished, replaced by a flash

e, Brock?" she snapped.

the door on

logized, smoothed things over. It was our pa

st sat there, listening to the

icated only through curt emails, piling on work, testing my limits, ex

ery impossible deadline. And I kept pushing HR to find my replac

shot through my head, and the edges of my vision went d

ntiseptic. The ceiling was

head resting on her arms. She looked exhauste

woke her. Her eyes, red-rimmed

to my side. "The doctor said you collaps

ing me a glass of water. She felt my forehea

she was the perfect, doting girlfriend. She never left my side. She held my hand, talkin

. Maybe this was the wake-up call she need

e a call. The door was slightly ajar. I heard her voice

hospital... Brock' s fine, just overworked... I

mth I had felt turned to ice in my ve

She hadn' t chang

ight smile on her face. I had alre

ing?" she asked,

id it. "I have to go into the offic

she said, her voice full of false concern

aperwork a blur. As I was l

ohnson,

ssion on his face. "Y

to work,

er. Your test results... we found so

opped. "Wh

, his voice gentle. "It' s just a pre

gain, this time no

ustling hospital corridor fad