Autumn POV:

The office building is getting hotter, and so is the weather outside.

When the weather heats up as May rolls around, I find myself in solitude at my desk.

With, of course, the ac blasting on full volume.

But even with the air conditioning providing cold air into my office, I still think about the texts that were sent to Damian that night.

When I woke up that following morning, I couldn't bring myself to talk or even look at Damian, because if I did, I knew I would automatically ask him about his brother and what was going on between them.

But I know that wouldn't be fair considering what is happening with Matthew and that whole situation.

So I wordlessly left his apartment, leaving a text behind, and remained in my apartment for the rest of the weekend.

But so badly, I wanted to tell him how tired I am, how little motivation I have to do anything because of this, it's pulling me down and it's not stopping anytime soon.

I can't just dump all my problems onto him, no matter how badly I wanted to, I just want to talk to someone about this without feeling any guilt or regret of oversharing.

But I can't just do that, especially when he probably has his problems to sort out as well.

And my parents would become more enraged and worry for me even more than they should. And I definitely wouldn't want that.

I sigh as I remender what a random man had said to me years ago when I was a girl scout selling store bought cookies. It only gets tougher from here.

And at that, he bought my whole wagon of cookies.

I didn't think much about it at the time, only the fact that I won and I got a badge and some small prize.

I never thought that phrase would really apply to me, sure I knew life is going to get difficult at some point, but I never thought it would be this difficult, other than the fact that I would have to work the rest of my life and have my money get taken away by the government.

But that's the cost of existing.

I lean back into my chair as the texts from Damian's phone won't leave my head, I don't know but something about them seemed so passive aggressive, like a hint of what's really going on.

Like his brother is holding something against him, almost like a guilty thing.

As I thought about it more and more, (and failing miserably to get any work done) Piper knocked on the door famed, popping her head in.

"There is someone here to see you, at the lobby" She said whilst smiling, knowing her, she is probably going to ask what this one is about because of last time.

I thanked her as I got up from my desk and made my way over to the lobby. As I walked all the way to the lobby, I silently prayed that no one that knows Matthew or is related to him is going to show up.

As I would probably guess, it would be Matthew's dad, he is the type of person who will not talk to anyone unless he is defending his wife and son, or Matthw's mother makes him talk to people to try and scare them.

That would be the only person visiting me during this hour, probably to try and bride me.

I rounded the corner leading to the front lobby, coming up with my speech in my head. Please leave me alone, I'm just trying to live my life and blah blah blah, probably going to use the same lines for when I met Elizabeth.

I enter the lobby and I see no one in sight, other than a guy talking to the receptionist, but that's what happens on a daily basis.

Whenever someone comes to the desk at the front lobby with a certain aura, everyone immediately knows that they are trying to bribe their way into getting a book deal. Because we are such a large publishing company, a lot of people who want to become authors are willing to do anything.

But unfortunately, there are tough competitors. And not everyone is going to get an opportunity.

I tune out their conservation, thinking security is going to escort them out like they usually do when unwanted guests come into the building.

The lady whose name I don't yet know because she's a new hire looks up and spotted me. I caught her eyes as she returned her gaze back to the gentlemen and pointed directly to me.

The man nods at her as he turns around and heads over towards me. I don't know who this is, but I have a feeling that I have seen him before.

As he was getting closer to me, I realized that I bumped into this person a while back when I saw Matthew for the first time since our split.

He stopped right in front of me as he reached me, now face to face, so close and personal, I finally got to really see him.

I looked over his features and there are just too many similar things.

Same eyes. Same color.

Same noses.

Eyebrows are the exact same.

No fucking way.

My eyes went wide as I realized this. There is no way in hell that this is not Damian's brother.

He must have figured that I now realized this because he smirks.

Even the smile is the same.

"I guess is no need to introduce then, since you must know who I am"

I swallowed as I forced myself to calm my compromise. Based on the texts I (accidently) saw on Damian's phone, I don't know whether he is going to try something.

Over his shoulder, the receptionist gives me a look if or not to call security to make him leave.

I gave her an unsure look, until I asked him, "What do you need?"

He sighs as he quickly looks down then back up, "I just want to talk, you don't have to, but I thought there are some things you need to know about Damian, before you actually become serious with him"

To this proposal, I was unsure about this. I don't know what his intentions are and surely enough, I have no reason to trust him.

Plus the way Damian was uncomfortable talking about his brother should give me more than enough of a reason.

"I don't think that is the best move right now, I really don't know you" I say while trying to ease into the rejection.

"It's okay, I won't do anything, I just want to talk, just for five minutes"

I looked down at the ground as he kept pressuring me.

"All I want to do is look out for my brother, that is the only thing I want"

I looked toward the front desk and gave the lady a look she could surely read.

I'll be fine.

She nodded as she still kept a close eye on us. I looked back at Damian's brother as I gave in.

"Fine, just five minutes"

As I ended my shift, Evan was already waiting for me in the lobby on our couches that we provided for people that are waiting for an appointment or an interview.

Once I had agreed to talk to him about Damian, he gave me his name so that I don't have to refer to him as 'Damian's brother'.

I followed Evan to a nearby park as we took a seat on one of the benches that had the perfect shade so that I won't get blinded by the sun.

As I waited for Evan to say something, I looked throughout the park, observing different people living out their lives.

A family of four playing fetch with their dog. An old couple quietly leaning against each other, with their eyes closed. A young man with an older man playing a card game–

"It's pleasing, isn't it?" He interrupted my thoughts, "Seeing people living so much differently than you, but that's life right?"

He watches me as I look at him. "What do you want to talk about?" I ask, wanting him to get straight to the point.

I won't let him stall, I just want him to tell me what he wants with me and why Damian is concerning him.

"I'm just very concerned about my baby brother, I'm worried that he might spiral out of control again" He said, a worried look casting onto his face.

Spiral? Again? What is he talking about? I stayed quiet as I kept listening.

"As a kid, he was always out of control, but my parents just thought that was normally, but when he was a teenager it got worse, like something snap in him, he started to fight with our mom and dad about the littlest thing" He sighed as he took a pause, "Our parents did everything to try and help him but that just made it worse"

I squinted my eyes because I didn't want to believe all of this, but there is a possibility that he was like this, but certain people can change if they really wanted to.

"But then" He continued, "One day, our dad couldn't handle the stress of Damian, our parents argued for hours on end, but he ended up leaving anyway, with my mom begging him to stay, but that wasn't enough"

I stopped looking at him as my back rested against the back of the bench, something in my gut tells me that I shouldn't listen to this anymore, but instead from Damian himself when he is ready to talk.

I feel like every second I'm sitting here, I'm betraying him.

"But that wasn't enough to stop him, he ended up blaming our mom for our dad leaving, and treated her like shit, he finally moved out but hasn't apologized to us, especially our mother"

Once he finished, I couldn't look at him. If what he is saying is true then what is going to happen if he gets like this again?

He studies my movements, maybe questioning whether or not to continue to talk, but he chooses the first option.

"The reason I wanted to talk to you is to warn you, Damian can go back to his old ways or not, and advice from someone who lived with someone like that for years, it can get pretty fucking exhausting" he turns his body towards me, "It's not to late to break up with–"

Before he can finish his ridiculous suggestion, I cut him off, "No– your lying, he was never like that, he cares for his mom and he never even told me about you or his dad, so I think that says something about the lie you're putting out"

"Autumn, I know this is probably not what you want to hear right now, especially because you guys are in a relationship, but I lived with him for years, and I'm just looking out for what's best for him"

He gave me a sympathetic look, like he was actually saying the truth about his brother.

I turned my head away.

It can't be true. It simply can't. Because I felt what he was saying was not adding up but I can't put my finger on it.

As I continued to think about my response to this accusation against Damian, I looked at Evan again, but he didn't look at me at all, he was looking above my head.

Whatever he was looking at, he was displeased.

I follow his eyes as I turn around and I'm met with a look of disbelief and a hint of betrayal on Damian's face.

"What in the hell?" Damian whispered.

I wonder what Damian is thinking right now.

Do you think Evan is telling the truth?

How will you think Damian will react?

-Summer Roe