Game Over No Second Chances novel Chapter 24

LAUREN’S POV

+35 BONUS

I stood there and watched as Elena’s school bus slowly drove away, the sound of its engine fading down the street until it turned a corner and disappeared from sight. A small ache pressed against my chest, as though each mile it traveled was stretching an invisible thread that tied her to me.

Earlier that morning, I’d had to call the school principal and explain that Elena would be taking the school bus from now on. His voice had carried a note of surprise that stung more than I’d like to admit. I suppose it wasn’t every day that the daughter of Ethan Black, the wealthy businessman, suddenly stopped arriving in a luxury car.

Still, the principal had been polite, though he gently reminded me that I’d have to pay the bus f*e when I settled her next tuition payment. Another expense. Another reminder that even though it had barely been twenty–four hours since I left Ethan’s house, the bills and responsibilities were already finding me, piling on my shoulders faster than I could breathe.

I lingered by the window for another minute, staring at the empty street, then let out a slow breath and turned back inside. At least today, I thought, I had Tessa. It was her day off, and I found myself grateful for the company.

She was still in the bathroom, the faint sound of running water and her humming floating into the living room. My stomach twisted, reminding me I hadn’t eaten. All the pasta I’d cooked earlier was for Elena. She’d pouted, telling me she didn’t like it, but still ate a little after I coaxed her. Children could be stubborn like that, but she didn’t deserve to go hungry.

I opened drawer after drawer in the small kitchen, hoping to find even a forgotten packet of biscuits or a granola bar. Nothing. The fridge offered no comfort either: just a lone carton of milk, standing by itself on the middle shelf like a soldier left behind.

My stomach let out a soft growl, almost embarrassed by its own need. For a moment, I thought about pouring the milk into a glass and drinking it straight, but I stopped myself. Elena might want cereal later, and we’d need it for that. When you start counting each slice of bread, each drop of milk, you realize how quickly what you thought was ‘enough‘ becomes ‘barely.‘

“Don’t worry. Once I’m all dressed up, we’re gonna get some food,” Tessa’s voice called from behind me, warm and teasing.

– the

I turned to see her stepping out of the room, a towel wrapped securely around her body, her dark hair bundled in another towel on her head. Even in her relaxed state, she had this calm determination I’d always admired kind of woman who refused to let the world tell her who she had to be.

—

She moved across the living room, steam still trailing behind her, and I couldn’t help but notice the size of the apartment again. It had always felt small but cozy when I’d visited before. Now, with our extra suitcases piled by the door and Elena’s small pink backpack propped against the couch, it felt even smaller. Like the walls had inched closer overnight.

Tessa’s job paid just enough to cover her rent, bills, and her modest habits – a simple life she’d accepted without resentment. Her job wasn’t really that high of standards, she was basically just working, getting paid, surviving, and repeating.

CHAPTER 024

+35 BONUS

She wouldn’t be able to buy her dream car or travel the world with this current salary, it was meant for one

person.

I knew bringing Elena and me into her space, her budget, would stretch things painfully thin. If she used to spend eight hundred dollars a month on groceries, now she’d need almost double that. The water bill would rise with every extra shower and load of laundry. The electricity bill would climb, too, especially once Elena began watching her cartoons or doing homework in the evenings.

I hated that thought. That my presence here, even for a short while, might become a burden. That the kindness of someone I loved could quietly become a strain.

“What’s the matter now?” Tessa asked me, her brows pulling together as she caught the worried expression on my face.

I let out a slow sigh, the weight in my chest pressing even harder. “A lot is going on in my mind,” I confessed, my voice softer than I meant it to be. “I mean, the amount of thoughts that have passed through my head in less than twenty–four hours is honestly worrisome. And now I’ve shifted that burden onto you too, even though you wouldn’t want to admit it.”

Tessa’s lips twitched into a tired smile. “Look, for the hundredth time, I’m fine with it,” she insisted, pulling her towel a little tighter around her shoulders. “I was basically tired of staying here alone anyway and needed some company. I can handle the bills.”

—

But I saw it the faint flicker of hesitation in her eyes, the almost invisible pause before she spoke. I knew Tessa too well to miss it.

“That’s sweet of you,” I murmured, lowering my gaze to the worn tiles of the kitchen floor, “but there’s still so much more than just food and light bills that I need to take care of. Elena’s school semester is about to end, which means I have to make an advance payment for both her tuition and her activity fees. And I’m not going to put that burden on you.”

Tessa stepped closer, leaning slightly against the kitchen counter. “So what are you thinking now?” she asked, her voice gentle but tinged with concern. “You want to get a job?”

“Yes,” I nodded, almost immediately. “I thought about it last night before I went to bed. At this point, I need a job. It would help cover Elena’s daily needs, take some pressure off you, and maybe give me back a bit of my independence.”

Tessa’s mouth tightened into a thin line. “Lauren, even if you were to take three part–time jobs, that wouldn’t be enough to pay for Elena’s school fees,” she said carefully. “You know how expensive that school is.”

“I know,” I replied, my voice catching for a second. The truth hurts more when spoken out loud. “And we can figure out what to do about that later. But for now, a job is necessary for me. I need to do something, Tessa. I can’t just sit around and watch you shoulder everything while I do nothing.”

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