Arlene

"Arlene."

The sound of my name made me pause just as I was about to enter the building. I froze for a moment, instantly recognizing the voice, and turned slowly.

Lucas.

He approached me with the hesitant air of a man unsure whether to smile or grovel. His usual confidence had evaporated, leaving behind something pitiful—almost pleading.

"Lucas," I muttered, my voice cold and detached. A surge of revulsion swept through me. I wasn't angry that he'd moved on; it was who he had moved on with that made my stomach churn. Daisy—my sister. Of all people.

It only confirmed what I had refused to acknowledge before: Lucas had...