154 LYRIC BythetimeIfinishedgoingthroughtheinterior,Kaelhadarrived.
Doyoulikeit?Hekeptastraightfaceasheasked.
Iloveit!IstheAlphain?Iwouldntmindgoingovertohisroomtothankhim.
No.Hesteppedoutalready.
Iheldthecarkeydearlytomychest.Thankyousomuch.Illdefinitelyreachouttohim.Ilovethis.
HenoddedbeforedriftinghisattentiontoJacewhohadbeenquietsincehearrived.
Hi,Jace.
Hey.How youdoing? Kaelshrugged.Cool,Iguess.
TherewasacertainsadnessinKaelseyes.
Um…IguessIllgetgoing.Icutinandtriedgoingintomyoldcar,butJacepulledmeback.
Nope.Imdrivingmynewcar.Hetookthekeyfrommeandsettledinthedriversseat.
Inacoupleofminutes,weweredrivingoutthegates.
Weshouldvetakentheribbonsoffatleast!Igrumbled.
Nope.Howthenwouldeveryoneknowitwasagift? Ilaughed.
HowarethingswithyouandKael? Hisdemeanorchanged.WhydidhealwaysgetthiswaywheneverIbroughttheBetaup? Wecool.Weum…spentthenighttogether.
Myeyeswidenedasamusementcoloredmycheeks.Jaceglancedatmeandexpressedhorroratthethoughtheknewmustbegoing throughmymind.

No.Notwhatyouthink.Wedidnthavesex.Issexallyouthinkabout,Lyric? Why?!Iexpresseddisappointment.Imean,howcan youtwoevenspendthenighttogetherandnothavesex?* Hetwistedhislips,makingitobvioushewasholdingbackfromsayingsomething.
Whydontwetalkaboutyou?Whyis AlphaGrumpygiftingyouexpensivecars?Haveyoualsobeenspendingyournightswithhim?Hepulledasuspiciousstareatme.
No!Ihithisarm.Hesjustkeepinghisownpartofthedeal.Andthatremindsme,Ineedtocallhim.
Ireachedformyphoneandplacedthecall.
Hedidntpickup,butbeforeIcoulddropthephone,hiscallcamein.
DoctorLyric,hecalledmebythenewnamehepreferred.
Ichuckled.AlphaJaris.Itrustyourmorningisgoingfine? Itshould.Yours? Geez.Ilovedhowdeepandmasculinehesoundedonphone.
MymorningwasperfectlyfineandgotevenbetterwhenIsawthecar.Itsgoodtoknowyouareamanofyourword.NowonderDarkspireisthriving.
Therewasapausefromhis end.Itmademewonderwashesmiling? DelightedtoknowIhaveafan,hisresponsemademesmile.
Thankyousomuch,AlphaJaris.Iloveit.ButIthinkyoushouldvegoneforsomethingsmaller.Ihonestlydidntwanttoimaginehowexpensivethismusthavebeen.AlthoughIknewitwasntabigdealforsomeonelikehim.
Youreworthit,Lyric.
Myeyeswidenedinastonishment,myheartrateseemingtoslowdownforsomeseconds.Ididntneedtolookintherearviewtoknowtheremustbecoloronmycheeks.
Iwasworthit.Itwasthefirsttimethosespecificwordswerebeingsaidtome,andIcouldntbegintodescribehowwholesometheymademefeel.
Butifyourefeelingguilty,youcouldmakeituptome,youknow?Hiswordsbroughtmebacktotheconversation.
1/3 154 And…howwouldyousupposeIdothat? Youcouldtreatmetodinner.
Iwantedtolaugh.Butitsoundedfun.
IthinkIcoulddothat.Whatsyourschedulelikefor theevening? Tight.ButIcouldsqueezeyouinifyoureupforit.Although,Imustwarnyouyouhavetoberich.Idontgotocheapdiners,Ms.Lyric.

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Ilaughed.IthinkImrichenough.Countmein.
Hm.Seeyouthen.
Thecallended.Yetthewarmthinmyheartdidnt.
Someonehasdefinitelybeensleepingaround,Jace saidinasingsongtone.Becausetellme,whatisallthissweetness? Igiggled,unabletodefendmyself.
Forthefirsttimeinmylife,itfeltlikeIwasinanormalrelationship.Although,IknewitwasonlyafantasyasIwasmerelyhismate.ButIlikedwhateverwasgoingonbetweenJarisandI.Andmaybesomeday,justsomeday,wecouldbemore.
Dontberidiculous,Lyric.Itsonlyforayear,thatsnackyvoicetried toruinmyjoybutIdidntletit.
Todaywasgoingtobeaspecialone.
AnynewsonPenelope?Iaskedawhilelater,mydemeanourchanging.
Jaceshookhisheadno,andthatwasenoughtoruinthesmallpeaceIdfelt.Whywasntshereachable?Itsbeentwoweeksalready.Couldshe bedead? Overthepasttwoweeks,IdbeenworriedsickIdidntevenconsiderresumingatTCHdespitemysuspensionbeingover.ItwasJacesideatoactuallyresumesoIcouldoccupymymindwithsomethingelse.Plus,hementionedthatitdbeeasiergettinginformationifIwasouthere meetingpeople.
WestillhadCadensproblem.HegaveJarisaweek.Itsbeentwoweeksandwewereyettohearfromhim.TherehadbeennoattacksfromtheFeederseither.Itlookedalittlesuspicious.Butallwecoulddowashopehewasreallyoffourbacks.WefinallyreachedTCHandIwentinwithoutJace.HesaidhehadsomewheretobebutaskedmetocallhimassoonasIneededaride.
Walkingthroughthegroundfloor,Icouldnthelpfeelingalittlenervous.IcouldtellalleyeswereonmedespitehowmuchItriedtoignorethem.
Iwasseenastheclumsydoctor.Theonewhocausedthedeathoffourpatients.Ifitwasntfortheencouragingwordsofthepeoplearoundme,IwasntsureIdhavehadtheconfidencetocomebackhere.
ItookadeepbreathwhenIwasalonein theelevator.
Youdidntdoanythingwrong,Lyric.Youdidntkillthosepatients,Isaidtomyself.
IstoppedbyGuineveresofficetoletherknowIwasback.Sheseemed happy tohavemebackandevengavemesomewordsofencouragement.
Icheckedonafewotherdoctorsandgotmyschedulefortheday.
Inlessthananhour,Iwassettocheckonmyfirstpatient.

ButbeforeIproceeded,IwenttoaparticulardoctorIdbeeneagertospeakwith.Iknockedonthedoorandwalkedinwhensheusheredmein.
MartaMonroelookedallprofessionalbehindherdesk,inhertransparentglasses.Shewasholdingsomefilesbutherbrowsfurrowedwhenshesawme.
Lyric.Sheadjustedinherseat.Youreback.
Mylipsliftedinasmile.Iam.
Well,canIhelpyouwithsomething? Oh,please,Ihuffed,crossingmyarms.Iftheres anyonethatneedshelpbetweenthebothofus,itsyou.
Shesaidnothing,herexpressionhardtoread.
Tellme,Marta,areyoudisappointedthatImback?ImsureyouthoughtIdhavemylicenserevokedwhenyoupulledthatbigplanofyours.
Sherubbedhertemple,asifexhausted.Look,Lyric;ifyoucameheretospitgibberish,Idsuggestyouusethedoor.Imverybusyanddont- No,youlistentome.Isteppedforward.OneofthereasonsIwasdeterminedtocomebackheredespite howharditwaswasbecauseIwantedtogetbackatyou.Youfuckinghurtme,Marta.Notjustbygettingmesuspended,butbykilling thoseinnocentpatientsinmyname.Howcouldyoubesoevil? Ididntkillanyone!Shesnapped.
AndIdontcare.Youcanlieallyouwant,butknowthisMarta,Illmakeyoupayforwhatyoudidtothose people.
Shestoodup,hereyeslikeshardsofglass.Getoutofmyoffice.Now.
Iglareddownather,thentookmyeyesroundtheoffice.Youdonthavetoinsist.Itsmellslikeevilinhere,anyway? Istartedtowardthedoor.
Youknow,ifIwereyou,Lyric,IdbecarefulwhoImakethreatsto.
Istoppedatthedoor,givingheranamusedstare.Youmustbemistaken,causeIdidntthreatenyou.Yousee,Ionlygaveyoufactsaboutwhatwouldhappensoon.I,LyricHarper,wouldgladlywatchthedayyoufallfromthisstupidthroneofyours.
Hereyesglintedwithrage,butherlipsstretchedinawickedsmile.
Wellsee,then.
Ismiledatherandwalkedoutthedoor.Martadidntknowwhatwascomingforher.ShehadnoideaIhadaperfectdishwaitingtobeserved.