David
David sat on the edge of the bed, the silence of the house pressing in around him. He leaned forward, his elbows
resting on his knees, his head dropping as the truth finally settled in—Lena was gone. He’d clung to the hope
that there was still something left, some part of her that might want to rebuild what he’d destroyed, but it was
clear now that hope was gone. She’d moved on, or at least was trying to, while he was left here, clinging to a
love that no longer existed for her. But he still loved her. He felt the certainty of it in his gut. He loved
her—despite knowing she’d never forgive him, despite knowing she’d never look at him the way she used to.
He loved her fiercely, achingly, in a way that made the emptiness of this house feel unbearable. It wasn’t the
kind of love he could turn off, no matter how much he wished he could. It lingered, raw and stubborn, carving
its way into every corner of his heart. He thought of her smile, the way her eyes lit up when she laughed, the
determined tilt of her chin when she was working through a challenge. He thought of the small, quiet moments,
the way she’d tuck her feet under her on the couch when they watched movies, or the way she’d absently brush
her fingers over his arm while reading beside him. Those moments had been everything to him, even if he
hadn’t realized it at the time. And he’d ruined it all.
David clenched his fists, his chest tightening with the familiar wave of self-loathing. He’d been selfish, blind,
taking her love for granted until it was too late. He’d sought validation in all the wrong places, let his own
insecurities consume him, and now he was left with nothing but the memory of what they’d once had. Lena was
right to leave him. She deserved better—better than his weakness, his betrayals, his half-hearted attempts at
being the partner she needed. She deserved someone who would have cherished her the way he should have,
someone who wouldn’t have let her slip away. But even knowing that didn’t stop the ache in his chest, the love
that clung to him like a shadow, refusing to let go. He’d have to live with it. Live with loving her from a
distance, live with the knowledge that she would never take him back. It was the consequence of his actions, the
price he had to pay for breaking the one person who had ever truly mattered to him. David leaned back, his head
tilting toward the ceiling, the weight of his emotions pressing him de eper into the mattress. He loved her, and he
always would. Even if she never spoke to him again, even if she found someone else. He would carry that love
with him, silently and painfully, for the rest of his life. And he welcomed that. Because it was all he had left of
her.
* * *
David sat in his car outside the investigator’s office, gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned
white. The call had come late that morning: Mark Caldwell wanted to speak again, this time in person. The
investigator’s tone had been calm but firm, and David couldn’t shake the feeling that this meeting wasn’t just
about Natalia—it was about something de eper, something heavier. Finally, he exhaled sharply, grabbed his
jacket from the passenger seat, and st epped out of the car. The investigator’s office was tucked into an
unassuming building downtown, the kind of place you wouldn’t notice unless you were looking for it. David
took the elevator up, his stomach twisting with every passing floor. When Mark opened the door to his small
office, his expression was neutral, professional, but there was something in his eyes—a sharpness that made
David feel exposed. “Thanks for coming,” Mark said, gesturing to a chair. David sat, his back stiff, his palms
sweating as he rested them on his knees. “Can I get you anything? Coffee? Water?” Mark asked, polite but
brisk. “No, I’m fine,” David r eplied, his voice tight. “Let’s just... get to it.” Mark nodded, settling into the chair
across from him. A not epad lay on the desk between them, blank for now, but David had no doubt it would
soon be filled with the investigator’s precise scrawl. “We’re making progress in the investigation,” Mark began,
his tone even. “But there are still gaps we’re trying to fill. Natalia Greene’s actions over the past year have
raised significant concerns—not just about her conduct, but about the damage she caused to others in the
d epartment.” David swallowed hard, his jaw tightening. “And Lena? Where does she fit into all of this?” Mark
leaned back slightly, studying him. “You’ve made it clear that you’re concerned about Lena, but I want to
remind you—this investigation isn’t about her. It’s about Natalia and the patterns we’re uncovering.
However...” He hesitated, tapping the pen against the edge of the not epad. “It’s undeniable that your wife was
one of the people most affected by Natalia’s behavior.”
David’s stomach churned. “How?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. “How was Lena affected?”
Mark sighed, leaning forward, his tone softening slightly. “There were discr epancies in the Darnell account, one
of Lena’s most important projects. Those discr epancies were eventually traced back to Natalia— misfiled
documents, incorrect figures, sensitive data being accessed at inappropriate times. At the time, it appeared that
Lena, as the manager overseeing the account, was responsible for the errors. She was put on leave while the
situation was reviewed.” David felt like he’d been punched in the gut. He clenched his fists, his mind racing
with the implications. “Put on leave?” he r epeated, his voice strained. “You mean she was punished for
Natalia’s mistakes?” “We don’t believe it was accidental,” Mark explained. “Natalia went to a lot of effort to
ensure the suspicion would fall on Lena. The evidence, at the time, was damning enough that the company
decided to end her employment. Lena agreed to quietly resign and avoid any public fallout. Lena’s d eparture
happened just before we began uncovering the truth.” David’s chest tightened, anger and guilt swirling together
in a nauseating mix. “You’re telling me Lena lost her job—her career—because of Natalia? Because of her
lies?” Mark held his gaze, his expression calm but pointed. “I’m telling you Natalia’s actions caused a chain
reaction that impacted Lena’s professional life significantly.” David rubbed a hand over his face, exhaling
sharply. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Lena had loved her job, had worked so hard for it. And now,
because of Natalia’s corruption—and his own stupidity— she’d lost it all. “What do you need from me?” David
asked finally, his voice raw. “How can I help you prove what Natalia did?”
Mark leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk. “We need to establish a clear timeline of Natalia’s
interactions with key accounts, including the Darnell account. Anything you remember—conversations,
behavior, details about how she operated—could help,” he said, his tone firm but probing. He hesitated for a
moment before continuing, his gaze sharpening. “We’re particularly interested in any instances when Natalia
was in your home. Times and dates when she might have had access to Lena’s home office—especially if she
was out of your sight. Even seemingly small details could help us piece together how she managed to carry this
out.” David’s stomach churned. He felt a sickening weight in his chest as he realized how blind he had been to
her manipulations. Her calculated charm, her attentiveness, the way she always seemed to know how to make
him feel important. It had all been an act he’d fallen for like a fool. “I’ll tell you everything I know,” he said
finally, his voice firm. “But I need to know... Is there any way to fix this for Lena? To clear her name?” Mark
studied him for a moment before nodding. “That’s exactly what we’re working toward, Mr. Sutton. The more
information we have, the stronger our case will be. And the stronger our case, the more likely it is that we can
set the record straight.” David nodded, a flicker of determination cutting through his guilt. He might not be able
to fix his marriage, but he wanted to help fix this. It was too little and too late, but David would never put
anything before Lena ever again.
* * *
David walked down the crowded street. He barely registered the people brushing past him or the faint honking
of cabs until he a small display of flowers caught his eye, their colors bright against the dull gray of the
sidewalk.
He stopped without thinking, his gaze lingering on the arrangement of pink peonies and lavender, a
combination he’d bought for Lena countless times—her favorite. He pictured the way her face would light up,
the familiar movement of her hands as she’d arrange the flowers in the vase by their kitchen window. It had
been one of those simple rituals, one of the small things he’d taken for granted. He stood there, watching as a
young couple walked by, the woman laughing as her partner handed her a small bouquet from the same vendor.
She thanked him, her voice filled with the same warmth Lena used to have when she’d reach out to take his
hand, her fingers squeezing his like she’d never let go. David’s jaw tightened as he turned away, shoving his
hands in his pockets and walking on. The phone felt heavy against his thigh, a reminder of the messages he’d
sent that had gone unanswered, the calls he’d made in desperation, hoping for even a single word from her. But
there was nothing. And as he moved through the bustling city street, he felt more alone than he ever had,
surrounded by people but unable to reach the one person he wanted most.