Riley frowned as he stepped out of the supermarket, his footsteps slowing against the pavement.
He lifted his gaze to his hands, staring at his open palms for a long moment.
A strange heaviness lingered there, as though the encounter in the manager's office had carved itself into his skin.
'What a weird feeling,' he thought to himself. His fingers curled slightly, and he exhaled, shaking his head.
He had never been one who stood out among the crowd. Not in school, not at work, not anywhere.
Ever since his parents died, he hadn't done anything that drew much attention.
In fact, he had lived most of his life in the shadows, quietly, without fanfare.
He had grown used to being overlooked, used to being the one no one remembered unless they needed something.
But still… it had never been this bad.
That woman was the very one who had employed him, and yet she didn't even recognize his face.
