You Were Better When I Was Gone Chapter 08 I explained the Sophie situation to my Director, who took it well: “As long as it’s handled.” I also apologized to the client. Fortunately, they weren’t fazed. We scheduled a formal call for the next day. Everything stayed on track. But that night, Luke messaged me. […]

You Were Better When I Was Gone Chapter 07 Late April, the company confirmed a new project. I’d lead it independently, a cross-border expansion plan for a major e-commerce platform. My biggest assignment since coming to London. When the Director called me in, he said: “I trust your approach, Sarah. Go for it.” No but.

You Were Better When I Was Gone Chapter 06 Three months in, my project won the quarterly award. When the Director announced it in front of the team, my colleagues clapped. Someone whistled. I stood there, ears ringing, not from nerves, but from a kind of stunned disbelief that I was actually being seen. Emma

You Were Better When I Was Gone Chapter 05 I didn’t pick up. He messaged: “Sarah, I need to talk to you.” “Tomorrow. I’m sleeping.” “Now.” I took a breath, sat up, and answered. On screen, Luke sat on his balcony, the city skyline behind him. He looked tired, dark circles, two shirt buttons undone,

You Were Better When I Was Gone Chapter 04 My first week in London, the jet lag refused to let go. At 3 a.m., wide awake, I sat on the windowsill of my rental, watching the streetlights flicker. My phone screen glowed. Sophie’s Instagram update. Nine photos of all of her and Luke. Restaurants, movies,

You Were Better When I Was Gone Chapter 03 My 4 a.m. alarm went off three times before I finally dragged myself out of bed. When I rolled my suitcase into the hallway, it was still dark. The air in the corridor was cold and still. The elevator doors slid open. Sophie was inside. She

You Were Better When I Was Gone Chapter 02 After Sophie left, I kept packing. At the back of a drawer, I found an old tin box. Bits of eight years, all crammed inside. A birthday card from Luke from sophomore year: “Happy birthday to Sarah. Hope you get braver.” A bracelet Sophie had braided,

You Were Better When I Was Gone Chapter 01 Since I was little, my childhood friend Luke and my friend Sophie had given me a string of nicknames. Dummy. Slowpoke. Wallflower. Invisible Girl. They said those were the kinds of names only the closest people could get away with. Sophie called me “Dummy” in the