Chapter 22: The Distance Between Loyalty
The president was behind the massive oak desk that had once intimidated half the country now.
He was older than she remembered, and looked paler. "Danielle," he called for her in a practiced tone. "Come closer."
Danielle swallowed hard and stepped forward, her heels just like her soul sunk slightly into the carpet.
"You're alive," she hushed, as though saying it might make it more convincing.
"You doubted me?"
"I thought I lost you."
The president sat in his chair, watching her with a smile on his pretty wrinkled face. "You didn't lose me. I had to disappear, for safety reasons. Everything was necessary."
Danielle wanted to cry, but not because she was sad, but because she didn't know what to feel anymore.
"I almost died because of you…"
He frowned. "Don't exaggerate."
Her lips started to shake. "I tried to…" Danielle stopped herself before finishing.
