Chapter 22
Keith’s POV
I had planned for the evening to go smoothly with Lily. It was supposed to be a night where we could unwind, enjoy each other’s company, and maybe even rekindle some of the magic that had been lost between us. But as soon as we stepped out of the restaurant, all of that changed.
At first, I didn’t recognize the woman Frank was holding. I felt a surge of satisfaction, thinking that maybe Frank wasn’t the stand- up guy everyone seemed to think he was. But then, as they moved closer, I realized who it was–Emily.
My breath caught in my throat. She looked… stunning. Her dress framed her curves perfectly, and her slightly curly hair made her even more feminine, along with her red lips and charming smile. I’d never seen her like that. The new her was so different from the Emily I was used to, the one who had been part of my life for years. Frank was messing with her hair, making her laugh, and something inside me snapped.
The laughter, the ease with which she was with him, felt like a slap to my face. Anger surged through me, a burning, unfamiliar rage that I couldn’t control, and I grabbed Lily’s hand so tightly that she yelped in pain.
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“Ah! Keith, you’re hurting me,” Lily protested, trying to pull her hand away, her voice breaking through the red haze in my mind.
I loosened my grip, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Emily and Frank. The sight of them together, so close, so intimate, twisted something deep inside me. I wanted to go over there, to rip them apart, to make sure Frank knew exactly who he was dealing
with.
The thought of Emily laughing with another man, being touched by another man, made my blood boil. But before I could make a move, they were gone, disappearing into the night like a bad dream.
“Keith, what’s wrong with you?” Lily’s voice was sharp, cutting through the fog of my anger, but it only added to my frustration.”
I turned to her, finally seeing the hurt in her eyes, realizing that my actions had caused her pain. But even that guilt couldn’t extinguish the fire of jealousy and rage that consumed me. The image of Emily with Frank was seared into my mind, and it made me want to lash out, to destroy something.
Without another word, Lily broke free from my grip, her movements sharp and angry, and hailed a taxi. She didn’t wait for me, just got in and slammed the door shut, leaving me standing there, fuming and full of regret.
“Lily, wait!” I screamed after her, a desperate edge to my voice as the realization of what I had done hit me like a ton of bricks. But it
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was too late. She was already gone, the taxi speeding away into the night.
My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of panic and anger. I couldn’t let things end like this. I quickly got into my car and sped to her apartment, my mind racing, trying to shake off the confusion and frustration that swirled around me like a storm.
By the time I arrived and opened the door to her place, I found Lily. sitting on the couch, her eyes swollen from crying. The sight of her like that hit me hard, making my heart ache with a deep, gnawing guilt that I couldn’t ignore.
I had hurt her, not just physically, but emotionally too. The weight of my actions settled heavily on my shoulders, leaving me standing there, speechless, unsure of how to even begin making it right.
“Lily…” I finally managed to say, but she cut me off before I could continue.
“Are you jealous of Emily?” she asked, her voice trembling with emotion. “Is that what this is about?”
I stared at her, at a loss for words. Jealous of Emily? The idea seemed absurd, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that maybe there was some truth to it. But why? How had it come to this?
“I’m not jealous,” I finally said, though even I didn’t fully believe the
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words.
“Then what is it, Keith?” Lily’s voice rose, her frustration boiling over. “You’ve been acting so strange lately, and I don’t understand why. Are you falling in love with her?”
“No!” I denied it vehemently, but the doubt in Lily’s eyes made me falter. “I’m not in love with Emily.”
“Then why do you act like this every time she’s involved? Why are you so angry about her being with someone else?”
“I don’t know!” I shouted, the words escaping before I could stop. them. The truth was, I didn’t know what was happening to me.. Everything felt wrong, out of place, and I couldn’t make sense of my own emotions.
Lily shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “Keith, if you‘ re in love with her, just admit it. Stop lying to yourself–and to me.”
Her words cut deep, and I felt a pang of regret. I reached out to comfort her, but she pulled away, her eyes filled with pain and betrayal.
“Leave, Keith. Just go,” she whispered, turning away from me.
I hesitated for a moment, wanting to say something to make it right, but there was nothing I could say that would fix this. So, I did the only thing I could–I left.
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As I drove away from Lily’s apartment, confusion clouded my mind, leaving me unsure of where to go. But somehow, my heart led me to Emily’s house. The warm glow of the lights inside pulled me in, offering a stark contrast to the turmoil I felt.
My hands trembled as I stepped out of the car and approached the door, my heart pounding with a mix of desperation and longing as I knocked.
When the door opened, Emily stood there, surprised to see me. For a moment, she thought I was Frank, and her face lit up with a smile that quickly faded when she realized it was me.
Before I could stop myself, I pushed her inside, locking the door behind us. The next thing I knew, I was kissing her, my lips crashing against hers with a force that took us both by surprise. I wanted more–needed more. There was a desire burning inside. me, something primal and uncontrollable.
But Emily shoved me away, her hand connecting with my cheek in a sharp slap. “What are you doing, Keith?” she demanded, her voice filled with anger and confusion.
The slap jolted me back to reality, and I stumbled back, horrified by my own actions. What was I doing? How had I let things get this far?
“I… I’m sorry,” I stammered, backing away from her. “I don’t know what came over me.”
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“What the hell is wrong with you?” Emily hissed, her voice low and dangerous. “Get out! Now!”
I didn’t argue. I unlocked the door and fled, feeling a mix of shame, anger, and confusion swirling inside me. As I got back into my car, I couldn’t shake the image of Emily’s face–her shock, her anger, her hurt.
I started the car and drove away, not knowing where I was going, not knowing what I was doing. The only thing I knew for sure was that I had completely lost control, and I had no idea how to get it back.
