I slipped off the beautiful shoes, wiped the soles of my feet with a wet wipe, and tiptoed inside to look around.
Benedict had said I could stay here for the duration of the contract.
I was anxious, elated, and conflicted all at once.
Whose house was this? Could I really use it? If I lived here, my ex would never find me, right?
I looked down at myself, grimy and disheveled, standing in the middle of this pristine, immaculate house. I didn't know where to put myself.
My phone buzzed.
A message from Benedict.
"On loan. Return it in the same condition. Consider it an advance on your contract investment."
The moment I read those words, the tension drained out of my body. Tears slipped down my face and hit the phone screen before I could stop them.
A second message popped up almost immediately.
"There's food in the fridge. Don't starve. It'll hurt the project's bottom line."
I blinked, got up, walked to the kitchen, and opened the fridge. It was fully stocked.
He'd guessed I had no money, no time, and probably no energy to go grocery shopping, so he'd sent Miles ahead.
Before long, the doorbell rang.
I opened the door, but no one was there. A paper bag sat on the step.