Chapter 20 - Karma Served Cold
It was a Tuesday afternoon when I finally saw him again.
I was in Houston for a quick business meeting and stopped at a random, rundown coffee shop near the highway. I ordered a latte and waited by the counter.
The barista who handed me the cup was wearing a stained apron, looking exhausted and defeated.
It was David.
He looked up, freezing when he recognized me. He looked at my tailored blazer, my expensive handbag, and the calm, peaceful glow on my face. Then he looked down at his own nametag and the mop bucket waiting behind the counter. The hidden millions were gone. His family empire was dust. His parents were in cell blocks.
"Clara," he whispered, his voice cracking with regret and despair. "How is Mia?"
I took my cup of coffee, looking at him not with anger, but with complete, crushing indifference.
May you like
"She has beautiful hair, David," I said softly. "And she doesn't remember you at all."
I turned on my heel and walked out the door, into the bright Texas sunshine, leaving the ruins of the Vance family exactly where they belonged: completely behind me.
