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Chapter_19
Sadie’s fingers hovered over her phone, her stomach twisting with an odd mix of guilt and frustration. She had done what she thought was necessary—played her hand, and made her point—but now she was regretting the decision. The feeling was foreign to her, this sense of vulnerability she hadn’t expected.
The weight of the check she had taken from the rich women sat heavily in her bag, reminding her of the compromise she had made. It wasn’t like her to act on impulse, but something about Micah’s silent, unreadable gaze had unsettled her. She had pushed him aside, practically thrown him to the wolves, and now she was wondering if she had made a mistake.
Her mind wandered back to the private room, imagining the scene—the way Micah had appeared so unfazed by the women’s advances, the way he had looked at her before she left. But that silence, that coldness, lingered with her. Why had she walked away so quickly? Was it really about the money?
“Why does this feel wrong?” she muttered to herself, fidgeting with her phone. She had never allowed emotions to get in the way of business before, but Micah… he was different.
With a sigh, she stared at her phone, debating whether to call him again. But no matter what she tried, the unease gnawed at her, and the feeling didn’t fade. Finally, her thumb hovered over the contact. She hit dial, but it went straight to voicemail. He wasn’t answering.
Micah always answered—so why wasn’t he now?
Sadie pressed her phone to her ear, anxiously tapping her fingers against the side of the car as the minutes ticked by. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe he was busy with the women, doing his job just as he always did. But still…
She tried to push the thoughts away, trying to convince herself that she had done what needed to be done. It was business. But the hollow feeling in her chest refused to let her off the hook.
Finally, Sadie couldn’t stand the silence any longer. She tapped out a quick message, her fingers moving faster than her thoughts: [I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for it to go like that. Call me when you can.]
She stared at the screen, feeling a strange pressure rise in her chest. A few moments passed, then another, until her phone finally buzzed with a new message.
Micah’s response came in short, clipped text: [I’m fine.]
Sadie let out a shaky breath, unsure whether she was relieved or more anxious now. His reply was cold—too cold. It was as if he was trying to shut her out. She couldn’t tell whether it was a response to her actions or just part of his enigmatic demeanor.
Sadie’s fingers hovered over her phone once again, the weight of their unspoken tension heavy between them. What was it now? A business transaction or something more? What was she supposed to do with these feelings?
She pressed her lips together, fighting back the uncertainty. “Stop overthinking,” she told herself. He wasn’t her responsibility. He had his life, his job, and if he wasn’t answering, it was probably just business as usual.
But something told her this was far from over.
