Susan’s <b>face </b>lit up with delight. “Liz, you’re here. Come sit.”
Liz walked to the other side of the bed<b>, </b>set down the flowers and fruit basket, and greeted her. “Ms. Green, <b>I </b>heard you were hospitalized<b>, </b>so I came to check on you. How are you feeling?”
<b>“</b>I’m much better now. It’s cold outside, isn’t it?”
As she spoke, she turned to Zac. “Go turn on the heater. Can’t you see she’s freezing?”
Liz shook her head with a small smile. “I’m fine, really.”
But Susan reached out and held her hand, concern written all over her face. “You call this fine? Your hands are ice cold. You need to dress warmer when you go out, sweetheart.”
A quiet warmth bloomed in Liz’s chest. The kind of motherly care she had never felt from her own mom, she was now receiving from Susan.
During those eight years she had been with Zac, Susan had always treated her well. Even if it was only because of Zac, Liz had been truly grateful.
“Don’t worry about me, Ms. Green. I’m really doing fine.”
“That’s because you’re still young. Just wait. If you don’t take care of yourself now, you’ll regret it when the health problemseter.”
While they talked, Zac stood up and went to turn on the heater.
Sensing that Liz probably didn’t want to be around Zac, Susan spoke up. “Didn’t you say you had work to do? Go on, we’ll just chat for a bit.”
Zac nodded. “Alright.”
Once he was gone, Liz and Susan chatted a while longer. When it was nearly noon, Liz stood to leave.
Susan gently held her hand, clearly reluctant to let her go. Finally, she sighed and said, “You need to take good care of yourself, okay? Don’t always eat takeout. If you ever miss my cooking, just call me and I’ll bring something over.”
The sincerity in her eyes made Liz’s throat tighten. Liz’s eyes stung with emotion.
“I will, Ms. Green. You take care too.”
After leaving the room, Liz headed toward the elevator. As she passed the stairwell, a familiar deep voice caught her ear.
“Be good. I’m still at the hospital. I’lle back and have dinner with you tonight.”
That sweet<b>, </b>coaxing tone left little doubt as to who was on the other end.
<b>Liz </b>froze for a second, then resumed walking as if nothing had happened.
Just as she reached the elevator and came to a stop, footsteps echoed behind her.
“Liz<b>.</b>”
She turned, her expression cool. “What is it?”
Zac looked at her, his face like stone and his voice just as cold. “You leaked proof of me cheating with Xena online. You destroyed my reputation, and now Voyager Tech can’t go public as scheduled this year. Are you satisfied now?”
Liz pressed her lips together. “You’re the one who let Xena post those couple photos online. That’s how people found out about your affair. Everything that’s happened to you, you brought it on yourself.”
Dier
<b>+20 </b><b>BONUS </b>
<b>“</b><b>Fine</b><b>. </b><b>Let’s </b>say I did. Now that you’ve had your revenge, are you <b>done </b>acting out?<b>” </b>
Meeting his gaze, Liz frowned. Even now, <b>he </b>still thought she was just throwing a tantrum.
“<b>Zac</b><b>, </b>I’m not here to fight. I meant it when I said we’re done. You agreed to the breakup. From now on, let’s just be strangers<b>.</b><b>” </b>
As the words left her mouth, the elevator arrived.
Without another nce at him, Liz stepped inside.
Suddenly, her wrist was grabbed.
She instinctively tried to shake him off but couldn’t.
She looked back at him with a cold re.
“Let go.”