He Didn’t Kidnap Me. Not Exactly novel Chapter 43

Chapter 43

“I will,” I added, forcing a small smile that even I knew didn’t look convincing. “So… problem solved. You can go now.”

He didn’t move.

“Better be sure! Are you?” he asked.

“No,” I said honestly. “But I’m saying yes.”

That seemed to be enough.

He shifted his weight slightly, looking frustrated.

“I don’t want to be here,” he muttered.

“Then leave,” I said immediately. That one slipped out.

He glanced back at me once, like he had something else to say, then didn’t.

“Don’t do anything stupid,” he said instead.

I sighed softly. “That’s becoming your catchphrase.”

He didn’t respond to that. He just walked away then and I stood there for a second longer than necessary, watching him disappear down the path, making sure no one had seen him.

Then I shut the door. And leaned back against it.

I sighed.

“Okay,” I muttered. “That’s over.”

I went back to my laptop like nothing had just interrupted my entire attempt at normal life.

The screen blinked back at me, unimpressed by my situation.

“Still unemployed,” I said to it. It didn’t argue.

I scrolled, applied, adjusted, repeated, and nothing stuck. Nothing felt promising.

“This is not going well,” I said after a moment. But I kept going anyway, because the alternative was sitting still and thinking too much, and I had already learned that was a bad idea.

Eventually, the day blurred into evening, and evening slipped into night, and before I could overthink it again, I shut everything down and decided one thing.

Tomorrow, I was going back.

Not because I wanted to. But because apparently, not going came with consequences I couldn’t control.

The next morning came quietly.

I got ready without rushing, moving through the motions like I had done this a hundred times before, even though everything about

it felt slightly off now.

I found myself hoping Lillian would still be around.

Not for the ride. For the presence.

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