Chapter 148

A whole week had gone by in a blink. The company still ran like clockwork, the earth kept spinning, and with Maria gone, everything at Bennett Corp returned to how it used to be. Everyone stuck to their roles—no one mentioned her, like she’d never existed. James slowly got himself back on track, throwing all his focus into work. For two mornings that week, he’d quietly waited by the road to the kindergarten. When he saw the nanny holding Ethan and Ella’s hands—both kids chubby and fair, with Ella bouncing around playfully—he finally breathed a little easier. As the sun set, the fast rhythm of city life seemed to slow down a bit. Not far from the Bennett Corp building, roadside vendors set up shop, shouting to sell their goods. Passersby stopped to browse trinkets or grab a bite. The sky darkened quickly, and as the last stalls finished setting up, a sliver of moon climbed into view. Cody placed a coffee in front of James and sighed. “Everyone else has clocked out. You should head home