The Wrong Woman

The conversation dwindled into another round of silence. To bridge the emotional gap, Elio tried to change the subject.
"Are you facing any challenges at work?" he asked.
Suddenly reminded of the layoffs, Candice turned to face him, her voice tinged with anxiety. "Is the company planning to lay
anyone off?"
A gentle smile finally crossed Elio's face the moment she met his gaze. "You don't have to worry. You're not on the list."
"What about my friend, Vanessa Yates? Can you make sure she's safe, too?"
"Vanessa Yates?" Elio echoed.
Candice nodded in response.
"Okay, I'll make a note of it."
"Thank you," said Candice. Overwhelmed by his intense gaze, she shifted her gaze to the television.
"Candice, about what happened last time, we-"
He was cut off by Jasper approaching them. Elio's words hung unfinished in the air.
Feeling a mix of guilt and anxiety, Candice whispered, "Let's not talk about the past. It's all behind us now."
She was afraid that Jasper might overhear their conversation. Yet, her words came across as cold and detached to Elio. To him,
she seemed like a woman merely curious about sex, impulsively exploring without any emotional attachment or thoughts of the
future.
Jasper sank into the seat between them, placing a hand on Candice's shoulder. "Candice, let's finish this movie with Uncle Elio,
then head home. It's getting late, and I don't want grandma and grandpa to worry about you."
"Okay." Candice offered a faint smile.
Elio's face fell as the movie played on. His attention wasn't on the screen but on the ticking clock.
When it was time to leave, he stood up to escort Jasper and Candice to the door. He watched silently as Candice climbed into
the car and waved goodbye.

The vehicle slowly pulled away, and Elio remained rooted to the spot without a word. Expressionless, he watched until the car
vanished from his sight. His heart felt empty, as hollow as his large house now seemed.
The Morrisons took great care to protect Candice, ensuring she was never alone. They arranged for someone to accompany her
everywhere, and she was always picked up and dropped off at work by someone she trusted.
This made it incredibly difficult for Elio to find any opportunity to get close to her. He entered his villa with a heavy heart and
closed the door behind him.
Standing under the light, he surveyed his bright and spacious home. The silence was so profound that he could hear his own
stifling oppressive, dull breaths. His mind was a blank canvas. After a moment of stillness, he dragged himself toward the study.
Only work seemed to be able to mitigate his mounting frustration. Elio settled at his desk and spread out some documents. He
was about to start writing when his phone beeped twice with a new message notification.
Elio picked up his phone languidly, opened the message, and glanced at it. His heart skipped a beat at the sight of the message.
He quickly sat up straight, gripping his phone with both hands as he reread the message. It was from Candice.
"Elio, I enjoyed dinner at your place today. Your house is beautiful but feels a bit sterile. Adding some flowers or plants would
probably make it warmer."
Without hesitation, Elio texted back. "I don't know much about flowers or plants. Could you help me choose some?"
"Sure!"
Elio shut his documents and tossed them into a corner of the desk. He leaned back in his chair, the seriousness of his next
message reflected in his furrowed brow. "How about tomorrow? Join me at the garden center to pick out some beautiful plants."