catch him off
guard.
I didn’t wait for his reaction. I turned and headed upstairs.
The next day, I met up with my best friend, Lila Brooks, at a café.
“Lila,” I began, “does your offer to take me abroad for work still stand?”
She raised an eyebrow, setting her coffee down. “Of course. Why? Are you finally considering it?”
I nodded without hesitation.
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Seriously? You’ve been so adamant about staying here because of Silas. What changed? Did you two fight?”
I shook my head, unwilling to drag my personal problems into this. “No.”
Sensing I didn’t want to elaborate, Lila didn’t press further.
Just then, the door to the café swung open, and in walked Silas… with Elyse and her son.
Elyse spotted me first. Her face drained of color as she quickly hid behind Silas, clutching her child.
“Silas,” she whispered, “Nina’s here too.”
1:02 PM
“Silas,” she whispered, “Nina’s here too.”
“What are you so scared of?” I said, my lips curving into a cold smile. “I’m not going to bite.”
Silas‘ expression darkened. He’d told me earlier he was meeting an important client. Now, caught red–handed spending his day off with Elyse and her son, he looked rattled.
He walked over, trying to act unfazed. “Nina, don’t overthink this. I just finished a meeting and decided to grab a coffee. I ran into Elyse by chance.”
You’re the mean lady trying to take my daddy away!” Elyse’s son, Jude, glared at me, his childish accusation laced with venom.
Elyse quickly covered his mouth. “Jude!”
Her words might’ve sounded like a scolding, but the smugness in her tone was impossible to miss.
I had no patience for their pitiful performance. Rising from my seat, I grabbed my bag and turned to leave with Lila.
Silas grabbed my arm, his brow furrowing in frustration. “Nina, are you mad? I told you it was just a coincidence. Why do you always have to overreact? You’re so jealous.”
This was his favorite tactic… turning the tables on me whenever he had no excuse for his actions. He’d make it about my jealousy, twisting things until I doubted myself.
For years, I let him convince me I was the problem and that I was the unreasonable one.
But… what kind of man spent this much time alone with another woman?
“Jealous?” Lila cut in before I could respond, her voice sharp. “A married man who’s glued to another woman 24/7? Anyone would think she is the wife, not Nina.”
- up.
Grabbing my hand, Lila shot Silas one last glare before pulling me out
