65|Thirty Days-Part 2

Thirty days passed in a blur for Natalie.

She buried herself in her work, and her life returned to the way it was before Levi. She avoided all the places she knew she'd likely run into him—the staff canteen, Rise and Lennie's.

For thirty days, she dressed up elegantly, did her hair and went on dinner dates and attended events with men—and women—she had no interest in. She'd talk, dance, laugh and smile when all she wanted to do was fall to pieces.

For thirty days, she made enough money to pay off Aunty Viv's debt and put some away for Jamie's medical expenses.

For thirty days, Natalie went through all the stages of grief.

Denial lasted the longest. She held out hope, prayed and wished Levi would finally calm down and reach out to her. But when her text messages, pleading with him to give her a chance to explain everything about Paul and the assault, went unanswered, she quickly moved on to anger.

How dare he judge her choices?

How dare he make her feel unworthy of love and happiness s