"How'd it go?", Laureen asked her the next morning when they opened up the store. "Abysmal", Giselle responded. "Ah, fuck, I'm sorry, Giselle". "You two look like someone died. Something I should know?", Mr Dean strolled through the open doors with a huge grin on his face. He looked so happy that Giselle suspiciously frowned at him. He stopped and glanced at both women, "What!". Laury jumped in and explained, "Giselle is trying to find a new place to live. You know, the breakup and all. So far the options were horrible". Her boss blinked in surprise, "Ah, I can fill in the blanks". He most likely connected the dots. Giselle's request for a raise just fit inside the puzzle perfectly. "You know what? I'll ask around. I can't have my two only employees in distress!", he smiled and walked past them into his office.

"Did that just happen?", Giselle wondered and Laury shrugged. Both had no idea whether Mr Dean had any network at all. He wasn't the approachable kind of boss that acted all friendly with his staff. "Can't hurt to have him ask around, right?", her friend said and the brunette nodded, "Yeah, anything's better than the fucking techno club I've been to the day before yesterday". Both giggled and forced a smile. They had to work.

On Saturday Carry had set up the meeting between the buyers, Giselle and Ian. Since the brunette had to work, she met Ian in front of the building while Carry probably was already in the apartment with the clients. "Hi", he grunted and she felt something squeeze in her chest. She hadn't seen him in their former place in weeks and it made her miss him. The years of living with Ian wouldn't just vanish in a week or four. It hurt, seeing him again and his casual demeanour. She forced a "Hi, Ian" and opened the door. "So, you got any clue who's gonna buy the thing for this insane price?", her ex asked her curiously, visibly less grumpy about the meeting than earlier in the week, but Giselle didn't know yet, "Sorry, no idea. Carry didn't say". "Ah, what a shame. I'm curious".

When they arrived in front of the door, she caught Ian staring grumpily at Annie's door. He probably wasn't as fine as he let on. Maybe. Something inside her needed to believe that he wasn't fine. That he cared for her and their years together hadn't been a lie. She sighed and turned the key in the lock. Ian walked inside in front of her and suddenly started laughing, "Oh, fuck me!". What could be so funny about all of this? Did he know Carry, too? When she walked into the living room next to Ian her heart skipped a beat. The clients were Celestine and another man. "You're gonna buy our apartment? You're insane", her ex commented and walked over to kiss the woman. She wrapped her arms around him and lingered in his embrace. Giselle went from holding her breath into hyperventilation. She didn't quite understand what was happening. And considering that Ian hadn't known either, something felt fishy. Or maybe it was just her imagination, her pain, the betrayal that she felt. Emotions rushed through her as she reached for the wall to support her. The face a grimace and anger rising, she turned on the spot and went back out. "Giselle? Where are you going?", Carry yelled, but the brunette didn't want to hear it. Everything went white and she rushed down the stairwell. Luckily the shoes were on the sporty side and within a couple of seconds, she had left the building and ran across the street down the path that Annie and her had walked before. Dusk had fallen over Blackwater and there was no one walking under the trees.

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Her phone rang and she silenced Carry away. Fuck her. Let Ian explain everything. Fuck them all! Her bum fell on the first wooden bench she came across and she leaned back against the backrest. Leaves all across the canopy wiggled in the light breeze. A couple of sparrows chased each other through the branches, but she barely recognised them. Tears rolled down her cheeks after flooding her eyes. Why did all of this happen to her? And now of all things? Wasn't it hard enough already? Did Celestine really have to backstab her? Move in next to Annie and she had to listen to Ian and her fuck? Her anger twisted into rage and despair at the same time. No one would make her go back. This was it. And it was final. She wouldn't sell to that bitch.

Later, the woman had no idea how much time had passed, a message arrived.

Ian: "Hey. I know you're mad. I didn't know, I promise! But Celestine and her brother are offering another 5% if they can have the place by the end of the month. Please agree to this, you don't have to see them, just sign the contract. This is a _lot_ of money! A lot more than we asked for!"