N'S

Mark... then who e

he person wasn't Mark. That couldn't be possible. It just couldn't. Mark had already left the country yesterday. That was the whole reason I'd ended up

the kitchen floor. Tessa rushed to my side, h

er through te

. A really bi

e on the floor. "It's not your fau

n so stupid with him, things wouldn't have ended this way. I'd

out of school, yet I'd continued giving Mark whatever he as

my face in her shou

and when I lifted my head, I noticed the tears in her eyes

oked down at my

let everyone down?" My voice broke. "Josh will neve

sister, Aven. You're his family

sat me down on the sofa before settling beside me. I wiped my che

? It was a one-night stand. That'

ike that?" I turned to her. "He might have kn

. what can you do now? I mean, it's not l

oment. Then something o

owned.

what happened or tell me who I left with." I jumped up, hurried into t

n!" Tessa called after

ded answers. And I wasn't going to si

★

he place I remembered. Last night, it had been packed with loud music, drunken laughter, and flashing li

rst. "Good morning, cutie

"Hi. Um... is yo

tly as he studied my fac

just need to as

g relieved. "Give

. A few moments later, he returned with a middle

liar about him, though I couldn't

olitely. "You wa

e people nearby. "Yes, but... c

gestured toward a small balcony o

e brushed against my fac

pt looking at me with a smile on his face like he

gently, "what'

breath. "I was

up his eyes. "Oh... yeah. I remember you now. So th

u d

tty late last night. You'd

to my chee

alone and kept drinking. You looked like yo

mile faded when he noticed how ne

oyfriend..." I laughed bitterly. "Well, my e

e Manager's exp

pick me up." I swallowed. "But I found out he'd al

pread acros

er. "I don't know who I left with. I ju

sorry," he said sincerely. "I wish I could tell you

to see me leav

had important guests, and I kept running between the floor and the office. I rem

k. "So there

He suddenly snapped

through

e C

ameras outside, don't you? C

sually show customers ou

e look on your face," he continued, "I

nk you Sir, you don't know

d the hallway.

ors were mounted on the wall, each showing a different part of the bar. Beneath them sat

board as different dates and times appeared on

s S

up the outside camera. My palms began to swea

their friends, while others struggled to walk straight. The manager increased the playback speed. The time d

rted. He paus

at the screen. "That'

nted windows, the elegant desi

e footage. For a few seconds, nothing happened

loser to t

rainy footage, there was something striking about the way he carried himself.

ou pau

r stopped

thing. The streetlights barely reached him, and the poor

t," I w

happens next," t

y answering a call. He stood beside the limousine for a momen

ved farther from the car

second later,

to the manager.

times. "Hmm..." He tried playing the

k It's

ou mean, i

functioned that night. It

e blank screen

e should

it the following morning, but everythin

answer I'd desperately

und myself, fighting

the footage

ched more carefully. The limousine pulled up. The man stepp

t perhaps I'd overlooked something. His clothes. His han

n, pl

replayed t

e man. He stepped out, raised his phone, and turned slightly toward the camera. I

au

ely stopped the reco

tor, my heart suddenly racin

leaned towar

t, neither

attoo. It was partially hidden, and the footage wasn't clear

rag

tretching up the