The rest of that first day passed in a blur.
After their conversation on the couch—after Attia had laid bare the wounds of his past and Lori had responded with nothing but compassion—he had returned to his responsibilities. Meetings. Phone calls. Reports that needed his signature. The endless demands of running an academy.
And Lori had thrown herself into the tasks Brentley had left for her.
Filing. Organizing. Answering emails that required no personal touch. Surface work, designed to cover her presence, to give her a reason to be there when the real purpose of her employment was far more complicated.
The days that followed fell into a rhythm.
Morning classes. Afternoons in the headmaster's office. Evenings studying until her eyes blurred.
And with each passing day, Lori felt hersel
