Page 79 of Mine To Hunt

I smile, meaning it. "Thank you. I didn’t realize how badly I needed this."

Maddie squeezes my hand. "Anytime."

"Always." Al agrees.

Laughter fills the space between us, and for the first time in a while, the weight lifts just enough for me to breathe.

Chapter 25

Her

Monday morning hits harder than I expect. The weekend at Maddie’s felt like a small, borrowed escape, hours spent talking about childhood memories, laughing over stupid stories, arguing about celebrity scandals while sharing takeout. For a while, it let me forget the stalker. Forget the rumors. Forget everything pressing in on me.

The moment I step back into the office, that relief disappears. This place feels familiar, but not safe.

Anxiety floods back in, sharp and relentless, settling in my chest as I walk toward my desk. The whispers haven’t stopped. Every glance feels loaded, every interaction edged with judgment, and the contrast between the warmth of the weekend and this cold reality leaves me exposed and unsteady.

I tell myself to hold it together. Quitting isn’t an option. This job is one of the few solid things left in my life, and I need it. Need the routine, the structure, the illusion of normalcy.

Still, the fear of more rumors or another confrontation twists my stomach until I feel slightly sick. My hands shake, and I clench them into fists, forcing myself to breathe.

I don’t even make it to my chair when Sarah rushes toward me, her face tight with urgency. One look at her expression makes my heart drop.

Something has happened, something big, and the way she’s looking at me makes a wave of dread crash over me as I wonder if, somehow, it’s about me.

"Iris." She says quietly, glancing around the office. "Have you heard what’s going around? You should probably come take a look. People won’t stop talking about it."

I feel my heart skip a beat with sudden worry that makes my pulse race, confusion flooding through me as I try to read her face for any clues about what could be causing such a reaction.

"Heard about what?" I ask, keeping my voice low. "Sarah, what’s going on?"

Sarah grabs my arm gently but firmly, pulling me toward Hazel's desk without wasting a second, her grip conveying the seriousness of the situation.

"I can’t explain it properly." She says. "You need to see it. Talk to Hazel. She has everything. It’s all anyone’s talking about."

Fear races ahead of my thoughts, my pulse quickening as panic settles in my chest. My mind goes straight to Mike. Of course it does.

I convince myself he’s done something again. Started another rumor, dug up something from my past, maybe even leaked the video to humiliate me further. The thought makes my stomach twist.

"Is this about me?" I ask, my voice low but strained. I swallow hard. "I really can’t deal with more bad news right now."

Sarah shakes her head as she guides me through the rows of desks, her grip light but insistent. "No. I swear, it’s not about you." She says quietly. "Just… come see. It’s insane."

We reach Hazel’s desk, and the scene there makes me slow. Several colleagues stand gathered around her computer, their faces tight with shock and disbelief. Some whisper to each other. Others stare at the screen like they can’t look away. Whatever this is, it has the entire room buzzing in a way that makes my skin prickle.

"What’s going on?" I ask as I step closer, carefully easing my way through the small crowd.

Hazel looks up, her expression serious but controlled. "Iris, you’re here at the right time." She says. She gestures to her screen. "I got this email this morning. Take a look. It’s disturbing."

I lean in and see an email open on her computer. Attached is a scanned newspaper article, the print faded and the date old enough to make my brows knit together. Almost eight years ago. Confusion settles in as I skim the headline.

"What is this?" I ask quietly.

Hazel exhales. "It’s about a man named Andrew Sanders." She says. "He was tried years ago on child molestation charges. The case fell apart because of lack of evidence, and he walked free."

A strange pull tightens in my chest as I read more closely. The accusations, the drawn-out trial, the acquittal that left too manyquestions unanswered. "This is from almost eight years ago." I say. "Why is it coming up now?"

Hazel clicks on another attachment beneath the article. "Because this was sent with it. There’s a video. Supposed evidence from back then." She looks at me. "You should watch it. It changes everything."