Chapter 25

Heidi's tongue burned, her throat ached, and her heart hurt even more. After a long moment, she turned on the faucet and cupped cold water in her hands to rinse her mouth. She looked up at the mirror. Her lipstick was gone, and the only color left on her face came from her red, swollen eyes. This was what she had turned herself into, all for a man who didn't love her. She had really outdone herself. Her eyes fell on the bracelet. Suddenly, she went at it with a vengeance, yanking and twisting, trying to rip it off her wrist. But the clasp seemed to fight back on purpose—it wouldn't budge. The more she rushed, the clumsier she became. The clumsier she became, the more it hurt. Her wrist bone was rubbed raw and red, but the bracelet stayed right where it was. "Ms. Jonassen?" A man's voice, edged with surprise, came from behind her. Heidi jumped, hastily grabbed some tissues to dab at her face, and turned around. Blake was standing a few steps away. She was even more startled tha