Page 55 of 12 Days

“Yes, of course. Thank you.”

“I want to repeat that: exceedingly careful. You get three days, Alyssa.”

“I…” I begin, but the line is quiet.

I stop again, still holding my purse tightly. Then I open my hand and let it go, letting it hang from my shoulder.

Apparently, I know less about these investigations than I thought. From what I’ve seen, they can go on almost indefinitely—if need be—the priority being on thoroughness.

Now that I’m out in the thick of it myself, I’m learning a hard lesson.

The assignment will be over with or without the formula, and I’ve only bought myself a measly seventy-two hours to figure it out.

I begin walking again. I’m not headed anywhere I need to be, but I do need to think, and I can’t stand standing still any longer.

This is my job, a job I care about, a job I’m intent in proving myself capable of.

Clearly, I’m capable. The formula’s in my purse and nobody at True Love is any wiser.

Yet I’m lying, and I’m not sure why. I know I don’t want my time at True Love to end, but if I were selfishly concerned solely with what I want, this would all feel much simpler.

There’s more going on, and it’s only coming to the surface of my thoughts now. I’m acting to protect the twelve executives, the remarkable men I’ve gotten to know so well in such a short period of time—and I’m doing it in a way that puts my job and my future in jeopardy.

If I was taking these risks for something I felt morally certain about, than I’d have no hesitation whatsoever.

But as life-altering as my experience with True Love has been, those qualms still occasionally surface to haunt my conscious.

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