Chapter 15

Zachary stood outside the apartment door, his finger hovering over the fingerprint scanner without pressing it. He didn't know why he felt so nervous. Just hours ago, he'd finally recognized his true feelings and decided to end things with Queenie for good so he could be with Yasmine. But now, standing before the door of a home that had once been filled with Yasmine's presence, he felt an inexplicable sense of dread. The door opened, but the entryway was pitch black. The light wasn't on as usual, and there was no sign of the beige slippers Yasmine always wore. At that, Zachary's heart sank. He hurried inside and flicked on the lights, scanning the living room. The coffee table was bare of the financial magazines she loved to read, and the couch was missing the throw blanket she'd casually tossed there. Even the faint scent of jasmine that used to linger in the air had vanished. "Yasmine?" he called out, his voice echoing strangely in the empty space. There was no response. Zacha