But now, the idea of Esme leaving, of having no ties left to her, unsettled him. He felt the sting of truth in Helga's words, but it didn't soothe the fire of frustration burning in his chest.
Why does this bother me so much? He was shocked, even at himself. Helga's cold, clear-cut reasoning echoed in his mind, but he struggled to understand why his emotions were reacting so violently to it. What was this feeling that kept gnawing at him, clawing at the edges of his rational thoughts?
For the first time in a long while, Ray felt lost. The contract was the only thing binding him to Esme, and once that was over… who would she be to him? Would he truly let her become nothing but a stranger, just as Helga said?
