Chapter 3

A few days later, I told Mark I was going to visit my Aunt Carol upstate for the weekend. It was a good cover to go to Oakhaven and meet Professor Davies. I bought a small potted camellia for Aunt Carol and a book I knew she' d like.

Oakhaven was a charming small town, a world away from the city's relentless pace. Professor Davies met me at a local café.

"Sarah, good to see you," she said, her smile warm. "Before we talk about the garden project, there's something you should know."

Her expression turned serious.

"There are... whispers. About Mark and his protégé. It seems their 'close collaboration' is quite public, even at official city functions. Some people are starting to talk, and it' s not reflecting well on Mark, or by association, on you."

A knot tightened in my stomach. So, it wasn't just my imagination. Their affair, or whatever it was, was becoming common knowledge. My public shaming had begun.

The mayor of Oakhaven, a kindly older man named Mr. Henderson, who was involved with the community garden, joined us. He knew Professor Davies well.

He shook my hand. "Sarah, Emily speaks very highly of your talent. It' s a shame about that fellowship. Mark Thompson is a bright fellow, but sometimes ambition can cloud a man' s judgment."

His sympathy felt genuine, but it also highlighted the injustice. Everyone seemed to know Mark was in the wrong, yet I was the one paying the price.

That evening, back in the city, I confronted Mark.

"People are talking, Mark. About you and Jessica. At city hall, at events. Are you even trying to be discreet?"

He reacted defensively, his voice rising. "What are you talking about? We' re colleagues! People will always gossip. You' re being paranoid."

"Paranoid? Or are you just careless because you don't care what it does to my reputation? Or yours, for that matter?"

"My reputation is fine!" he snapped. "Jessica is helping my career. You should be supportive."

Just then, my phone rang. It was Aunt Carol. Her voice was shaky.

"Sarah, dear, I... I had a bit of a fall. I' m at Oakhaven General. Nothing broken, thankfully, just a bad sprain, but the doctor wants me to stay overnight for observation."

"Aunt Carol! I' ll come right now!"

I turned to Mark, my heart pounding with worry. "Aunt Carol fell. She' s in the hospital in Oakhaven. I need to go."

He barely looked up from his laptop. "Oakhaven? That' s a bit of a drive. Can' t her neighbors help?"

"She needs family, Mark! She' s shaken up."

He sighed, annoyed. "Fine, go. Just don't expect me to drop everything. Jessica and I have an important deadline."

His casual admission of prioritizing Jessica over my family emergency, over my aunt' s distress, was the final straw.

A surge of fury, cold and sharp, went through me.

"You are unbelievable," I seethed, my voice low and dangerous. I grabbed my purse and keys.

As I walked past him, he had the audacity to say, "Don't be too long. We have that dinner with the Hendersons next week, remember?"

I didn't even bother to reply. I pushed past him, not caring if I bumped his shoulder, and hurried out the door.

The drive to Oakhaven felt endless. When I finally reached Aunt Carol's hospital room, she looked small and pale in the bed.

Tears welled in my eyes. "Oh, Aunt Carol, I' m so sorry."

She reached for my hand, her grip surprisingly strong. "It' s alright, dear. Just a silly accident."

But I could see the pain and worry in her eyes. I sat by her bed, holding her hand, the anger at Mark a burning coal inside me. He didn't care. He truly didn't care about anyone but himself and his ambitions.