Chapter 198
CELESTE
I finally pulled myself together and got out of my car, the warmth of Dominic’s kiss st Jingering on my lips as I walked through the glass doors of Helix.
I knew many people would notice I was still wearing the same outfit from yesterday. I would have had Dominc arrange for something else for me to wear, but his grandmother and Imelda showing up, followed by his confession and then everything that happened between us last night, had pushed the thought of clothing out the window completely.
I walked through the corridors ignoring the curious and gossipy stares from my staff. I went straight to my small room and changed quickly into a white blouse and a navy blue pencil skirt.
I checked my reflection in the mirror, and pulled my hair into a tight ponytail. I applied a frestr layer of lipstick before I felt presentable enough to face the world.
I stepped out and went looking for Pat.
I found her in her office sitting at her desk, her chin resting on her palm, her eyes fixed on a point in the distance that seemed to hold no interest for her at all. She looked lost, her usual brightness dimmed, and I felt a pang of concern as I walked through the open door and stood in front of her desk. She did not even realize I was there until I cleared my throat.
“A penny for your thoughts?” I asked.
Pat startled, blinking rapidly, and then a smile spread across her face. “Hey. Good morning. You finally showed up.”
From the way she spoke, from the way her smile did not quite reach her eyes, I knew something was wrong. Pat was usually the cheerful one, the one who greeted me with a joke or a teasing comment about my personal life. This version of her, the one sitting quietly and staring at nothing, was not the friend I knew.
“Are you okay?” I asked, walking closer and sitting down in the chair across from her desk. “Did something happen?”
“Oh no no, I am fine,” Pat said, waving a dismissive hand. “I just kept thinking about the experiment I was working on. After all my efforts, it just did not come out well.”
“Oh, I am sorry about that,” I said. “Come on, you have been doing this for so long, I know you will figure it out.”
“It is not like you to look so sad because of an experiment,” I added. “You have dealt with failed trials before and you never looked like this.”


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