Chapter 24

To make things easier for work, Clara rented a top-floor apartment. The very next day, someone moved in across the hall. It was Damon. Over the next month in Jeston, she ran into him everywhere—by the supermarket shelves, outside the pizza place, in a quiet corner of the park. Given his status, these weren't places he was supposed to hang out. Clara knew he was following her. Now and then, when they ended up face-to-face, they'd make small talk, like regular friends. Otherwise, he stayed behind her like a shadow. Eventually, lost in her little world, Clara stopped noticing him as much. She told herself it was just like having a free bodyguard. Once they were neighbors, they bumped into each other even more, and Damon's smile only grew brighter. Every so often, he'd ask her out for a walk, dinner, or a short trip somewhere. Clara always came up with an excuse to say no. Every time she said "sorry", his eyes dimmed noticeably. She kept thinking that Damon would give up after she t