“There’s no mistake,” she asserts, her voice laced with finality. “Mr. Burke’s decision is clear. You need to leave.”
Her certainty casts a harsh, chilling reality over me, yet something deep down clamors against it, against the image of Oliver as this unrecognizable, uncompromising stranger. The man I’ve grown close to, who held me with such care and looked at me with genuine warmth, couldn’t have switched so drastically without cause. There’s a missing piece, a hidden part of the story that’s been silently shaping this heartbreaking narrative.
This has to be a misunderstanding.
Tears spring into my eyes as I turn away from Jamie and Kimberly, and head back toward the living room where Alice is waiting for me.
Alice looks up at me, concerned. Her little face is filled with confusion.
“What’s wrong?” she asks, her voice quivering slightly. “Who’s that with Jamie?”
I kneel in front of her and take her hands in mine. “It’s okay, sweetie,” I reply softly. “I have to go somewhere for a bit, but Kimberly is going to watch you while I’m gone.”
Alice frowns, looking like she’s about to cry. “Why can’t you stay with me, Catherine?” she pleads.
My heart breaks at the sight of her tears. “I wish I could, Alice,” I tell her, struggling to keep my voice from breaking. “But I have to go somewhere right now. I promise I’ll come back soon, okay?”
Alice nods, still looking worried. “Okay,” she says in a small voice.
I give her a hug and a kiss on the forehead before standing up. Turning to Kimberly, I give her a hard look. “Take good care of her,” I instruct, my voice cold as I head upstairs to pack my suitcase.
I stuff my clothes and belongings into the suitcase as quickly as I can, trying not to let my emotions take over. But as I stand there in my bedroom, surrounded by the memories of the time I spent with Alice and Oliver, it becomes too much for me. Tears stream down my cheeks as I zip up my suitcase and grab my purse off the bed.
As I’m step out of my bedroom, I hear Alice calling out for me from downstairs. “Catherine, don’t go!”
I pause, taking a deep breath before heading back downstairs. Kneeling beside her, I give her another hug. “I have to go now,” I tell her once again, a lump forming in my throat. “But it’s going to be okay, all right? Everything will work out the way it’s supposed to.”
Alice nods and gives me a watery smile as she wipes away her tears with the back of her hand. With one last hug and kiss goodbye, I pick up my suitcase and start toward the door.
“Good luck finding another job,” Jamie snarls as I pass by her.
“Jamie,” I say. My voice is calm, but there’s a warning in it I can’t conceal. “You may you may think you know Oliver better than anyone else does, but you are wrong about one thing—you don’t knowme.”
With that, I turn around and head out the door without looking back.
My chest tightens as I drive away from the house, my emotions a tangled mess. The pain in my heart is unbearable, but I know that I have to keep moving forward and stay strong for Alice’s sake.
I turn the car toward downtown and head straight for Oliver’s office building. As I drive, the frustration of the morning slowly fades away as determination sets in. Regardless of what Jamie thinks, this isn’t over yet—I’m going to get some answers from Oliver and find out why he did this without even talking to me first.
Once I arrive at Oliver’s office building, I stride through the lobby and up to the front desk. The front desk receptionist turns to me with a warm smile.
“How may I help you?” she asks.
“I need to see Oliver Burke,” I demand.
“Your name?”
“Catherine Turner,” I reply.
She nods, then dials a number on her phone. “Hi, Catherine Turner is here to see Oliver Burke? Very well, thank you.” She hangs up the phone and peers back up at me with an apologetic expression on her face. “I’m sorry. Mr. Burke isn’t available right now.”
“It’s important,” I assure her. “I need to see him now.”
“I apologize,” she says with a shake of her head. “Mr. Burke denied you access upstairs. For security reasons, I can’t allow you to go up.”
“Thanks anyway,” I sigh, then head out.
As I return to my car, Fred runs out of the building and calls for me. “Catherine,” he exclaims breathlessly.
