Chapter 2

"You're the one who can't tell the difference," I snapped at Maeve and hung up before returning to the interview.

The job was a simple administrative role at a small firm. The pay was modest, but it was enough for me to get by.

The interview went well, and I was set to start next Monday.

…

That evening, I returned to my apartment to find two people waiting outside my door. It was Maeve and Zane.

Maeve's expression was thunderous, while Zane stood back with the smug look of someone enjoying the show.

"You've got some nerves, Nolan. Are you actually being serious?"

She stepped forward to block my way.

"Serious or not, none of that matters between us anymore," I said and tried to sidestep her to reach my door, but she grabbed my wrist with a bruisingly tight grip.

"Come home with me, and I'll pretend none of this happened."

"Let go." My voice was cold.

"Don't push your luck, Nolan!"

From the sidelines, Zane added fuel to the fire. "He's just doing this on purpose to get your attention, Maeve. Don't fall for it."

Maeve yanked at me and tried to drag me away, but I warned her, "If you don't let go, I'll scream."

"Go ahead! Let's see who dares to interfere in a husband and wife's business!" she roared.

A few neighbors peeked out from their windows, but seeing her aggressive stance, they quickly retreated.

I raised my free hand and, with every ounce of strength I had left, slapped her across the face.

The sharp crack echoed through the hallway.

Everyone froze, including Maeve, who clutched her cheek and stared at me in pure shock.

"D-Did you just slap me?"

Instantly, the look in her eyes turned vicious. She lifted her hand as if to strike back, but stopped herself. Instead, she stared at me as if she wanted to devour me whole.

"You've got guts, Nolan. You're really something."

She released my wrist and ground out the words through clenched teeth. "You'll regret this."

With that, she grabbed Zane and stormed off.

It wasn't until they disappeared around the corner of the stairwell that I realized my hands were shaking, not from fear, but from rage.

I returned to my empty apartment, shut the door, and slid down against it.

There wasn't a single piece of her belongings in the room, yet I still felt suffocated. Her so-called role-playing games had scarred me deeply.

…

The next day, the bank called in the afternoon. Our joint account, which held the bulk of our savings, was frozen. Most of the money was from her income.

I'd expected it, so I didn't panic.

I still had some money Dad had left me, and if I was careful, it would last until my first paycheck.

…

On Wednesday, I was settling into my new job when a man in a trendy suit burst into the office. He pointed a finger at my face and started cursing out, "Nolan! You shameless piece of trash! How dare you seduce my wife!"

While I was too stunned to react, everyone in the office turned to look.

"Sir, you must have the wrong person," my supervisor said, stepping in.

"I have the right guy! Look, it's him!" The man pulled out a photo of a woman and me.

She was a senior in college. We'd lost touch after graduation, so I had no idea where he'd gotten it.

"Everyone, look! This man ruined my family! Now, he's the reason my wife wants a divorce!" he cried, knocking things off my desk.

The office descended into chaos.

I couldn't defend myself because I knew that this was Maeve's handiwork. She was destroying my reputation, so I'd be at a loss.

My supervisor's expression was grim when he called me into the office. "Nolan, I trust you, but the company has to consider the impact. Take a few days off."

It was a polite way of saying that I was fired.

That was when my phone rang with a call from Maeve. There was a smile in her voice as she asked, "How does it feel? I told you, Nolan. You'll regret this."

"You're pathetic, Maeve."

"Pathetic? I learned from the best," she said with a laugh. "I'll give you one last chance. Come back now, beg me, and I might consider forgiving you."

"In your dreams." I hung up.

Deep down, I swore that I'd never beg her.

I walked in the rain for hours until I was soaked to the bone before finally making it back to my apartment.