Mag-log inMelanie's POVThe silence after was worse than the act itself.It clung to me as I sat on the edge of Sam’s bed, the sheet pulled tight around my body like it could shield me from what I’d done. My chest felt heavy, my throat tight, my heart pounding with a panic that refused to settle.I came here to end things.That thought kept looping in my head, cruel and unforgiving.I hadn’t come to fall back into this. I hadn’t come to make everything messier, uglier, more dangerous. And yet, here I was, surrounded by the evidence of my weakness, my failure.Sam stretched lazily behind me, completely at ease. Too at ease.“You’re overthinking it,” he said, his voice calm, almost bored. “It’s not a big deal, Melanie. We had fun, people have fun all the time. Stop punishing yourself with guilt."I turned to him slowly, disbelief burning through my guilt. “It is a big deal,” I snapped, my voice shaking. “This is my marriage on the line here."He shrugged, reaching for his phone like we’d just f
Melanie’s POV“I’m married,” I reminded him. “And my husband is starting to notice things. I can’t afford this anymore.”Sam pushed himself off the wall and took a step closer. “You’ve missed me.”I scoffed. “Don’t flatter yourself.”“You wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t,” he replied calmly. “You could’ve sent a text. Or blocked me. But you came.”“That was a mistake,” I said quickly. “One I’m fixing now.”He tilted his head, studying me. “So this is about him.”“Yes,” I said without hesitation. “Richard cannot find out about us. About anything. That’s why I’m here, to end it, cleanly.”“End what?” he asked. “You make it sound like we’re still together.”I hesitated, then said, “Whatever you think this is. The calls. The history. The… tension. It stops tonight.”He smiled slowly. “You’re scared.”“I’m cautious,” I corrected.“No,” he said softly. “You’re scared of losing him.”The words hit closer than I wanted them to.“I love my husband,” I said firmly. “And I won’t let you ruin my ma
Melanie’s POVMandy picked up on the third ring.“Mel?” her voice came through, familiar and steady. “What’s wrong?”That was all it took.I sank deeper into the couch, my fingers tightening around the phone. “Richard knows,” I said quietly.There was a pause. “Knows what?”“Not everything,” I admitted. “But something’s off. He’s angry. Distant. It feels like he’s holding back words that could destroy us if he lets them out.”Mandy exhaled slowly on the other end. “You saw him with Xavier’s family, didn’t you?”“Yes,” I whispered. “And it made things worse. He keeps saying it’s about the past, about secrets, but I can feel it, Mandy. This isn’t just about Xavier.”She was quiet for a moment, then said carefully, “Melanie… is Sam still in your life?”My heart skipped.“Why would you ask that?” I tried to sound casual, but my voice betrayed me.“Because I know you,” she replied gently. “And because secrets don’t stay buried forever.”I closed my eyes. “He hasn’t slipped,” I said quickly
Melanie's POVI leaned back in my seat, staring at the seat in front of me. The plane hummed steadily, calm and steady, the opposite of how I felt inside.Minutes passed in silence.I replayed everything in my head, Xavier, Darla, his mother, Claire at the airport. Too many ghosts for one trip. Too many truths crashing into each other at once.“Richard,” I said again, after a while. “There’s more to your anger than Xavier. I can feel it.”He didn’t answer.“Is it Claire?” I asked carefully.His shoulders stiffened.That was answer enough.“You didn’t look at her like just an old memory,” I said. “You looked like someone tore open something you never closed.”He finally turned to me, his eyes sharp. “Don’t psychoanalyze me.”“I’m your wife,” I said. “I’m allowed to worry.”“She’s nothing,” he said.“Then why are you this angry?” I asked. “Why does everything feel like it’s about to break?”He stared at me for a long moment. Then he looked away again.“I loved her once,” he said quietly
Melanie’s POVA woman stood a few steps away from us, near the coffee stand. Tall. Slim. Dressed in a cream-colored coat that hugged her frame effortlessly. Her hair fell in soft waves down her back, and when she laughed at something the man beside her said, it was light and familiar.Too familiar.Richard’s jaw tightened.My chest sank.“You know her,” I said quietly. It wasn’t a question.He didn’t answer immediately. His eyes stayed on her, unreadable, distant, like he’d been dragged into a memory he hadn’t planned on revisiting.“Yes,” he said finally. “I do.”Something cold slid down my spine. “Who is she?”He exhaled slowly. “Her name is Claire.”The way he said it, soft, restrained, told me everything he wasn’t saying out loud.Before I could ask more, she turned.Her eyes met Richard’s.Recognition flashed instantly across her face, followed by surprise… then a small smile.“Richard?” she called, stepping away from the man she’d been with.My stomach twisted.He hesitated for
Melanie’s POVA woman stood a few steps away from us, near the coffee stand. Tall. Slim. Dressed in a cream-colored coat that hugged her frame effortlessly. Her hair fell in soft waves down her back, and when she laughed at something the man beside her said, it was light and familiar.Too familiar.Richard’s jaw tightened.My chest sank.“You know her,” I said quietly. It wasn’t a question.He didn’t answer immediately. His eyes stayed on her, unreadable, distant, like he’d been dragged into a memory he hadn’t planned on revisiting.“Yes,” he said finally. “I do.”Something cold slid down my spine. “Who is she?”He exhaled slowly. “Her name is Claire.”The way he said it, soft, restrained, told me everything he wasn’t saying out loud.Before I could ask more, she turned.Her eyes met Richard’s.Recognition flashed instantly across her face, followed by surprise… then a small smile.“Richard?” she called, stepping away from the man she’d been with.My stomach twisted.He hesitated for







