Page 86 of Whispers of Obsession

“Is everything okay, Marissa?” I ask. She startles and looks up at me, giving me a tight smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. She looks tired and overworked as always, stressed too, but there’s a fraughtness to her that I don’t remember being there before.

“Slater, yes, yes, everything’s fine. It’s good to see you.”

“Mom, why didn’t you call me? I’ve been going out of my mind with worry.”

I stand back, giving them their moment of reunion. As I watch them cling to each other, a sense of warmth washes over me. I can’t help but feel a surge of protectiveness toward them, a desire to shield them from whatever troubles may come their way.

Cora’s mom pulls back slightly, cupping her daughter’s tear-streaked face in her hands. “I’m sorry, honey. I had to deal with some unexpected work issues, and my phone is on the blink again. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

Cora sniffles, nodding as she wipes away her tears. “Just...please promise me you’ll let me know next time. I hate not knowing if you’re okay. You did pay the bill…right?”

“I promise,” her mom replies softly, pressing a gentle kiss to Cora’s forehead and ignoring her question about the bill. Then she finally looks up at me, her eyes meeting mine with a mixture of gratitude and weariness. “Thank you for bringing Cora home, Slater. You’re always such a good big brother to her.”

I offer her a reassuring smile, though my mind is still reeling from the events of the night and the fact that the last thing I want to be to Cora is a big brother. There are too many pieces of the puzzle that don’t quite fit together, too many unanswered questions lingering in the air.

As we sit around the kitchen table, sipping on hot tea to ward off the remnants of tension hanging in the air, I can sense a heaviness settling over us like a shroud. Cora’s mom seemspreoccupied, lost in her own thoughts as she absentmindedly stirs her tea.

“Mom, are you sure everything’s okay?” Cora ventures tentatively, reaching out to place a hand on her mother’s arm. Her mom startles slightly, as if snapping out of a trance, and gives Cora a reassuring smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Yes, sweetheart. Everything’s fine. Just a rough day at work, that’s all,” she replies, though her voice lacks the usual conviction.

Cora exchanges a worried look with me, silently communicating her unease about her mother’s demeanor. I can see the gears turning in her mind, trying to piece together whatever traumatic events of the night she suffered and her mother’s strange behavior.

I clear my throat, breaking the heavy silence that hangs over us like a suffocating blanket. “Marissa, if there’s anything you need help with or if something is troubling you, please don’t hesitate to tell us. We’re here for you.”

Her gaze flickers between Cora and me, a conflicted expression crossing her face before she finally sighs and places her hands on the table, as if gathering her thoughts.

“I...I don’t even know where to begin,” she starts slowly, her voice laced with uncertainty. “Something happened at work today. Something...unexpected.”

Cora leans in closer, concern etched on her features. “What do you mean, Mom? What happened?”

She hesitates, as if debating how much to reveal. Finally, she takes a deep breath and meets our eyes with a mixture of fear and determination. “There was a break-in at the office on the ward. Important, private files were accessed and copied and I’ve been asked to remain home while the matter is investigated because my login was used.”

Cora gasps, her hand flying to cover her mouth in shock. I feel a surge of protectiveness toward them both, my mind already formulating plans to keep them safe from whatever danger may be lurking in the shadows.

Cora’s mom continues, her voice shaking slightly as she recounts the events of the day. “They...they knew exactly what they were looking for. It wasn’t just random. They targeted specific files, ones that are crucial to some ongoing cases we’re handling at the hospital.” She pauses, her eyes darting between us as if gauging our reaction.

Cora’s grip tightens on her mother’s arm, a mix of fear and disbelief clouding her features. “But why would anyone break in for hospital records? What kind of cases are so important that someone would go to these lengths?”

Her mother lets out a heavy sigh, her shoulders slumping with the gravity of the situation. “I don’t know, Cora.”

Silence hangs in the air, thick with tension and unspoken dread. I can see the turmoil in Cora’s eyes as she processes the gravity of her mother’s words. The danger that now looms over their lives, threatening to shatter the fragile peace they’ve held onto.

“Is that everything?” I ask gently, feeling like Cora’s mom is still holding back. Her gaze flies to mine, pleading, but it’s too late, I’ve asked the question, and she knows she has to come clean.

“I…I got a call this morning. Just before you arrived, actually.”

“Who was it?” Cora asks nervously.

“The property manager. For some reason, the landlord needs the property back and I have to move out by the end of the month,” Cora’s mom admits, her voice heavy with resignation.

The news lands like a heavy blow, casting a shadow over our already tense atmosphere. Cora’s face falls, her eyes wide withdisbelief and fear. The uncertainty of their future hangs in the air, a weight pressing down on all of us.

I can see Cora struggling to process this new development, her mind racing with the implications of having to uproot their lives once again. It’s a harsh reality to swallow, especially on top of the recent break-in at her mother’s workplace and whoever hurt Cora last night.

I don’t believe in coincidences.

Not when things like this happen in triplicate.

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