Page 17

I pull up the cheapest listings in the city for what feels like the hundredth time. My eyes scan over the prices, each one a hard punch to the gut. Too expensive.I would need a raise to afford a closet in this city.
I click through page after page, but hope dwindles with each swipe.
A studio that looks promising turns out to be in a neighborhood where I’d fear for my life. Another room claims to be a “cozy nook” but appears to be little more than a converted utility closet.
My shoulders drop as I check the time. 9 pm.
After drinking two more coffees from the vending machine, I consider my options.
The easy option is going back to Felix, which would give him a reason to keep mistreating me. But I can’t go back there; I have to stand on my own two feet.
I sigh and slump in my chair before glancing into West’s Office.
I lean back in my chair, staring at the ceiling before I dig my heels into the floor and move to my boss’s office. A couple of nights on his office couch won’t harm.
My knuckles are white as I lower the handle of the dark wooden door.
A dim, warm glow comes from the bathroom, and I hesitate for a moment, wondering if I should leave or make myself at home.
I move past the sleek glass table with leather chairs around it, and head to the couch toward the back of the room. I know from experience that the soft, plush material of the couch is seriously comfortable.
West’s office has a full bathroom, complete with a shower and a closet. I’ve used it before when I’ve had to work late and didn’t have time to go home before an evening event.
After placing my bag of clothes on the couch, I head to the bathroom to grab a fluffy towel.
I yawn as I settle onto the couch, more exhausted than I first thought. Which is lucky because I need to get up extra early tomorrow morning to pull this off.
But that’s fine. I need the time tomorrow to figure out how to find a new, affordable place to live. And then how I get my stuff out of Felix’s apartment without him making a scene. I also have to make sure West doesn’t find out about my little sleeping arrangement. At least, not until I have a plan in place.
Even then, I should remain quiet.
I pull the soft towel over my body and close my eyes. The softness of the couch envelops me as I listen to the noise from the street below.
My life is horrible.
Not only because I have to hide at work while sleeping on a couch. It’s also because I’m unable to afford a decent place to live in a city that I hoped was my fresh start.
A humorless chuckle escapes my lips.
How long will I be safe for?
My eyes wander around the sleek, modern space, but my mind is in Felix’s apartment. Ironic, considering what happened there, but it was my sanctuary for a while.
It was the epitome of flashy and everything I thought I wanted. Marble countertops, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a view of the city that made me feel like I was on top of the world. But it was all a facade. Behind the gleaming surfaces and designer furniture, it was my safe place. The first place I had ever felt like I belonged since I lost my parents.
It was home.
Tears lace my eyes as I roll onto my side, running my fingers over the soft fabric of the couch.
“You’re not going back to him,” I tell myself.
It’s so tempting.
I sink deeper into the plush couch, feeling the exhaustion of the past few days wash over me.
West’s office is my refuge now. I’m grateful to have it, even if it’s temporary.
I sigh, letting my eyes drift closed.