“Married… what are you saying?” Alicia forced a little laugh, her hands holding tightly to the glass in front of her. “Did I get married and I am not aware?” She drank the juice quickly, using the taste of the cold drink to cover how nervous she felt. Under the table, her feet tapped nonstop, thankful the table was high enough for Tim not to notice.Tim was watching her. “I thought as much,” he said calmly. “You mentioned something like that when we travelled to New York, though you were tipsy because you slept off almost immediately.”Alicia’s lips stretched into a smile, though her insides churned. She lifted her spoon and pushed some food into her mouth, chewing slowly to buy herself time. Then she set the spoon down, standing up.“Thank you so much, Tim. I’m full,” she said, forcing her voice to be back to normal. “I didn’t know how much I missed your cooking until I tasted it again. I’ll have a shower and sleep, it’s been a stressful day.”Tim nodded.Upstairs, she collapsed onto
Alicia stood there, her eyes still glued to the man jogging away with his headset on. For a second, she thought she was losing her mind. His face…it was Lucas. But no, this man was slightly different. He was more muscular in a way Lucas had never been.“Are my eyes getting bad?” she whispered to herself. “That is Lucas… but he looks different. Am I drunk? But I didn’t take any alcohol.”She pulled out her phone and dialed Lucas’s number. The line connected quickly.“Hey… I am good,” she said, her eyes still on the path where the man had disappeared. “Quick one, were you walking some minutes ago?” She paused, listening. Lucas’s voice on the other end was calm, almost bored.“Oh, you’re still in your office. No… It’s fine. Sure, I still remember.” She ended the call and let out a long sigh.“This is crazy,” she muttered, shaking her head. “How can two people look almost the same?”She stopped a cab and they went off, still replaying the image of the man in her mind. When the car stopped
N: B There was a small error in Chapter 69; it should be “Danielle Smith,” not “Alicia Smith”; apologies for the oversight, and I hope my editor accepts the edit.“I love you, Daniella Smith, just say yes already.”Bryan’s voice was low, but his eyes held a softness that made Alicia’s hands tremble.He repeated it, this time slower, his words rolling off his tongue like he had been holding them in for years.“It is complicated,” she said. “Even though I want to jump up at this… but I can’t. Bryan.”For the first time, she admitted it, not just to him, but to herself. She had been fighting, running, pretending she could bury the feelings that crept up every time he looked at her. But here it was, raw and naked in front of him.Her eyes welled up, a small tear sliding down. Quickly, she wiped it off, not wanting him to see her weakness. She stood up fast, brushing off her clothes, trying to look busy. Then, without giving herself more time to think, she grabbed his hand and dragged him.
“What are you doing here?”Before Zoe could even open her mouth, Diego appeared at the door carrying the grocery bags in his hands. His voice was quick, almost like he had rehearsed it.“She is my friend. Remember, Alicia and I have known each other way back from college. She came to see me.”He didn’t wait for Becky to argue. He brushed past her, dropped the grocery bags in the kitchen, and came back to the sitting room. Becky was still standing, her eyes were glued on Zoe. Zoe sat calmly, she crossed her legs, looking unbothered as if Becky wasn’t even there.“Can I talk to you in private, Becky?” Diego said.Becky’s eyes didn’t leave Zoe, but she nodded. “Sure, let’s go.”They went inside his room. Becky’s eyes scanned the space. The designer sneakers were neatly lined up on the rack, expensive perfumes were arranged on the shelf, and the shine of his wristwatches. She couldn’t resist; she touched one sneaker, then ran her fingers along a perfume bottle, finally shaking her head.“
“We thought you were…” he finally began.“Dead.” Ethan finished the sentence. “I know. Now, will you let me in with my luggage, or should I stand here like a statue, you fool?”For a moment, Lucas just stared at him. Then, against the heaviness in his chest, a laugh slipped out. That was Ethan, right there, always cracking jokes even when the world felt like it was ending.Lucas stepped aside, and Ethan dragged his luggage in. He walked into the living room, dropped his bag with a loud thud, and slowly turned in a circle, scanning the place with his eyes. His lips curved into a smile.“It feels good to be here again… after what, years?” Ethan asked, running his fingers along the armrest of a chair before sitting down.“Six years,” Lucas said. “Six solid years. Nobody heard from you. How did you even know you’d find me here?”Ethan sat back, folding his hands behind his head, his smile still there. “This is your house, Lucas. I know it’s been a long time, and maybe you moved houses, bu
Becky’s body trembled as though the walls of the house were closing in on her. She could still feel the presence in the room, even though no one was there. Her hands shook as she grabbed the letter again, tearing it into small pieces, scattering them on the floor as if that would erase what she had just read. She couldn’t breathe.Without wasting another second, she ran outside, almost tripping on her heels. She jumped into her car, turned the ignition with shaky hands, and drove off into the night. Her eyes were blurry, whether from the alcohol or the tears threatening to come out, she didn’t know. All she knew was she needed to get away.Minutes later, she was banging on Diego’s door. Inside, Diego jerked up from his bed, pulling his pillow aside to grab the pistol he always kept there. He moved slowly toward the door, his gun raised.He flung the door open, ready to pull the trigger, only to see Becky, hands raised high in the air.“It's me, Diego!” she shouted, her voice trembling