His Lovely Ward

Chapter 25

Half a month was what Angelica needed to forget. Forget the hurt anyway.

She was back on track, back to work, back to her usual activities.

But she was not the same and she knew that.

She was softer—as what others pointed out.

And she seemed lonelier as what Chanty and Cassandra pointed out. That was true. She felt like she was better off dead, roaming around everywhere like a zombie.

She tried calling Henry’s number but it was not available anymore, so never think she didn’t try.

Believe it when she said she tried. She tried every damn thing she could. Hell, she was even there when they finally closed down the firm. But Henry wasn’t. Not a shadow, not a sign. Nothing.

It was like he was gone—completely erased from the face of the earth.

She also went to his apartment but only to find that it was empty and was open for lease.

Yeah, so you wouldn’t wonder why she stopped looking. She tried and even with her wide experience of stalking, she just finally gave up trying to find the only man she knew was right for her.

Because he was so good at covering his tracks.

Because he was a freaking NSA agent.

Hell, she tried and failed a lot of times. It was finally time to get over it and accept that she had to stand on what they had agreed: NO STRINGS ATTACHED.

Blast it, damn it, bull it, but it was true. No strings attached. She must have been so stupid to think he felt something for her.

All she knew for certain was that he felt guilty over what happened to her mother. He shouldn’t be. Angelica was not a fool to think he should be responsible for something her mother wanted all along.

So, yes, she was back to her normal routine, taking care of people she didn’t really personally care about. She was trying—real hard—to let go. In the past, it was an easy thing to do every time someone she stalked didn’t suit her at all. But with Henry, it was as difficult as finding a cure for cancer. It was a slow, agonizing process. It was like getting over Jessica’s death all over again.

But she had to, didn’t she? She just had to.

  *****

Physical pain was not new to him.

But the kind of pain he felt every freaking time Angelica’s tortured face crossed his mind was not what he was used to. No painkiller could numb the pang in his chest every time he thought of the things he shared with her.

Shit, even her unnecessary blabbers were something he yearned for. Her soft silk-like red hair was something he dreamed about. The sound of her, the feel of her, the sight of her, the memories of her, were plain mental torture. He would give anything to forget her. But he knew, deep inside, that there was nothing he could do or give to replace his lovely ward.

His once lovely ward, he corrected himself.

He stayed away as planned.

Far, far away. He knew she tried to find him, but he knew as well it was only to ask more questions. And he didn’t feel like he wanted to answer any more of them. He only wanted her. But that would be impossible.

She hated him now.

He knew that for certain. She flinched when he touched her that night he told her about her mother’s death.

That was answer enough. They couldn’t be together.

Henry drunk himself with new dangerous assignments, he exhausted himself with more physical activities, but at the end of the day, when he was completely alone in his bed, he would find himself thinking about her.