CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FOUR – SARCASTIC MOCKERY

The words hit like a slap to the face. In that instant, Kayla could feel their years of history and intimacy getting diminished to a troublesome inconvenience for Lance. Just an insecurity to be tolerated or rebuffed as he devoted his energies to more important matters - namely the grand romance he seemed to be engaged in with Valeria and their precious partnership. "Wow. Okay." Kayla took a slow breath through her nose, fighting to keep her voice from shaking with anger or tears of hurt. "I can see where your priorities are right now. That's...that's all I needed to know, I guess." Silence greeted her from the other end as she abruptly ended the call. Tears stung Kayla's eyes as she crawled into bed alone, clutching her pillow with a sense of profound loneliness. How had things devolved so quickly? Just a few weeks ago, she and Lance were on cloud nine, deliriously plotting their future together as a couple. And now...now she felt utterly shut out and forgotten in his world while