Passion Renewed

Chapter 77

Melanie

I'm hunched over my computer, fingers flying across the keyboard as I try to track down the elusive bug that's been haunting me for days. My deadline for this project is looming, and if I don't find and fix this damn bug soon, I'll never make it in time.

"Mother fucker," I mutter under my breath, frustration boiling over as lines of code blur together in front of my eyes.

A throat clears next to me, and I jerk my head up to see Evie standing there, arms crossed and a knowing look in her eyes.

"What?" I snap, my irritation bubbling to the surface.

Evie raises an eyebrow at me. "Did you call the therapist?" she asks, her tone pointed.

I let out a frustrated sigh and shake my head. "No, I haven't," I admit grudgingly. "I have to find this godforsaken bug first, it's driving me crazy."

Evie lets out an exasperated sigh of her own. "Fine," she says, resignation evident in her voice. "I'll take a look while you call the therapist, okay?"

I begrudgingly agree and stand up, gesturing for Evie to take my seat. As she settles in front of the computer, I grab my phone and power it on. Messages and missed calls start pouring in, but I ignore them all as I dial Dr. Harvey's number.

After a few rings, a man answers the call, saying, "Dr. Harvey's office, how can I help you today?"

"I'm calling in regards to one of Dr. Harvey's patients, Daniel Winston," I say, trying to keep my voice steady.

The man on the other end of the line pauses for a moment before responding. "Is he a new patient? I haven't heard of him," he says.

"No, he's been visiting Dr. Harvey for almost two years," I reply, my voice tinged with annoyance.

The man sighs. "Give me a moment to check it out," he says before putting me on hold.

I tap my foot impatiently as I wait for him to come back on the line. After what feels like an eternity, he finally returns.

"I'm sorry," he says apologetically. "But there's no record of a patient called Daniel Winston."

I feel a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach. "Thank you," I say quietly. "I must have made a mistake."

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" the man asks politely.

"No, thank you. Have a nice day," I reply, my voice hollow.

"You too," the man says before we hang up.

I stare at my phone, feeling a mix of disappointment and frustration. Another dead end.

I turn to Evie, who is furiously typing something on my computer, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Dr. Harvey isn't Daniel's therapist," I inform her, my voice heavy with disappointment.

Evie looks up at me, her expression serious. "Then who the fuck is his therapist?" she demands, frustration evident in her tone.

I shrug helplessly. "Maybe it's a therapist in another town," I suggest. "I don't know."

"Why would Daniel go all the way to another city to see a therapist?" Evie asks incredulously.

Again, I shrug, feeling at a loss for answers. "Maybe he doesn't want to be seen entering a therapist's office," I offer weakly.

Evie scoffs, clearly unconvinced. "Bullshit. Something's wrong," she insists, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

I bristle at her accusation. "You're being unfair to Daniel," I retort defensively. "Maybe it's one of those cyber sessions, you know, therapy through the phone or laptop."