The rookie mistake was not checking his pockets. Two plane tickets, shredded into pulp by the spin cycle in his suit pants. The moment I could make out the destination—"Maldives"—the Comments flickered into view, superimposed over the laundry room wall. 【There’s no way the side character thinks he’s taking her, right?】 【Fun fact: He needs pills to touch the side character. The main character is his own personal aphrodisiac.】 【Place your bets. How is she going to flip out on him this time?】 That’s when I finally focused on the names. His, yes. And another woman’s. But I didn’t flip out. I just waited for Ethan to come home, and offered him a placid smile. "I ruined the tickets in the wash. You'll probably need to print out a new set for her." 1 The washing machine chimed, its cycle complete, just as I was placing the last shirt on a hanger. Ethan’s custom suit trousers were usually empty, but today my fingertips brushed against the stiff corner of something left in the pocket. I pulled them out. Two plane tickets. First class to the Maldives. The departure date was next Wednesday—the same week he’d told me he had a business trip to Singapore. The passenger names were his and another woman's. The cardstock felt like a branding iron against my skin. My fingers began to tremble. And then, as if summoned by the dread, translucent text began to scroll through the air in front of me, like subtitles in a movie I didn’t want to see. 【This isn’t the first time for her, is she really going to chase him down for answers again?】 【God, this woman is so annoying. Can’t she just learn her place?】 【When is she getting written out of the show?】 【Ethan, just divorce her already. You and Chloe would be so much better together…】 "What are you looking at?" Ethan’s voice came from behind me. I flinched, nearly stepping on the ruined tickets I’d dropped on the floor. He had just showered, his hair still dripping, beads of water tracing a path down his neck and into the loose collar of his bathrobe. His gaze fell to the tickets in my hand. His pupils contracted. A sharp, throbbing pain started in my temples. More Comments floated past. 【Come on, Ethan, think of an excuse!】 【Just say you bought them for a coworker. Easy.】 【Here we go. She’s about to lose it.】 "They were a prize from Chloe’s company raffle," Ethan said, his voice terrifyingly calm as he reached for the tickets. "Her husband can't go, so…" I pulled back, dodging his hand. "So she gave them to you? Are you two really that close?" The feed went wild. 【It’s just a plane ticket. What’s the big deal?】 【As a woman, even I don't get her.】 【Dump her, Ethan! Just dump her!】 Ethan’s expression darkened. "Ava, do you have to do this?" "Do what?" My voice started to shake. "You’re the one who lied about a business trip, when you were really…" "Because I knew you’d overthink it!" he snapped, his volume jumping. He snatched the tickets from my grasp. "Chloe and I are just colleagues. Can you stop being so paranoid?" A chorus of cheers erupted in the Comments. 【That's the way, Ethan!】 【That's how you handle a woman like her.】 【Break up with her already…】 My nails dug into my palms, the sharp sting of pain the only thing keeping me upright. "Ethan, where were you last Friday night?" His face froze for a fraction of a second. "Working late." "Really?" I pulled out my phone, bringing up a text thread with his colleague. "Should I show you the rest?" The feed exploded. 【Holy shit, the side character is investigating him?】 【That’s terrifying. What a control freak.】 【Run, Ethan, run!】 The color drained from Ethan’s face. He grabbed my wrist, his grip so tight I winced. "You're spying on me?" "I just want the truth!" I struggled against him. "You always come home smelling like a perfume that isn't mine, your phone is filled with locked photo albums, and now this—" "Enough!" He shoved me away, the tickets fluttering to the ground. "If you can't trust me, then maybe we should just break up." The Comments boiled over. 【He finally said it!】 【Attaboy, Ethan!】 【Get lost, side character!】 I stood frozen, watching his back as he slammed the door behind him. My vision blurred with tears. 2 I curled up on the sofa, the crumpled tickets still clutched in my hand. Outside, a torrential rain began to fall, the drops hammering against the glass like a thousand mocking voices. My head was splitting. My phone buzzed. A text from Ethan. Let's talk when you've calmed down. It was followed by another. Delete the screenshots. Don't do something you'll regret. 【He's still too kind…】 【She doesn't deserve it.】 【Just block her already.】 The doorbell rang, a shrill, unexpected sound. Through the peephole, I saw Chloe. She was wearing a red dress, the color of fresh blood. "Ava, sweetie~" Her voice was syrupy sweet. "Ethan left his stomach medication at my place. He asked me to drop it by." I opened the door and she pushed her way inside, the heel of her shoe landing squarely on one of the fallen tickets. "Oh, dear. Did you find these?" she feigned surprise, pulling a small bottle from her purse. "And it's not just for his stomach, you know. Ethan’s been under so much stress lately. He needs a little something to help him sleep." I stared at the unlabeled pill bottle, my mind flashing back to a memory of Ethan stirring a white powder into my coffee once. "You two…" My voice was a raw, unfamiliar croak. Chloe leaned in, her lips close to my ear. "Did you know," she whispered, "that he has to take something… to get it up for you? Otherwise, he can’t perform." She let out a soft giggle. "It’s different with me, though." The feed scrolled furiously. 【Chloe is such a queen!】 【The look on the side character's face is priceless.】 【Get her out of his life!】 I raised my hand to slap her, but she caught my wrist in a vice grip. "Did I hit a nerve?" Chloe tilted her head. "It's a shame, really. Nothing you do will ever work." "Ethan will only ever be mine." 3 … When I opened my eyes, the biting scent of antiseptic flooded my senses. White ceiling tiles, a cold IV drip, and—Ethan, sitting by the hospital bed, holding my hand. He saw I was awake and his brow relaxed slightly, but his voice was still cold. "You're awake?" I yanked my hand away, pressing myself against the headboard. "Don't touch me." My voice was hoarse, my throat burning as if I'd swallowed fire. Ethan’s expression tightened for a moment before smoothing over into a calm mask. "The doctor said you were emotionally unstable. You need to rest." 【Here she goes with the drama again.】 【Ethan is being more than patient with her.】 【Just get discharged and break up already.】 I stared at him, my gaze unwavering. "Where is Chloe?" His eyes darted away for a second. "She just came by to drop off the medicine. You fainted, and she called the ambulance." "Is that right?" I gave a cold laugh. "Then why was she wearing my necklace?" Ethan frowned. "What necklace?" I didn't answer, just looked toward the door of the hospital room. Chloe was standing there, holding a fruit basket, a sweet smile plastered on her face. "Ava, sweetie, you're awake!" Around her neck, gleaming under the fluorescent lights, was the diamond necklace Ethan had given me for my birthday. The Comments went into a frenzy. 【What's wrong with Chloe wearing the necklace?】 【The side character is so petty.】 【Ethan, tell her to get lost!】 Ethan turned, his frown deepening. "Chloe, you should go." Chloe’s lip trembled in a perfect pout, but she nodded obediently. "Okay, Ethan. Remember to eat something." As she turned to leave, her fingertips brushed against the back of his hand, and she shot me a look of pure triumph. I closed my eyes, my nails digging into my palms again. "Ethan, let's break up." He shot to his feet, the chair screeching against the linoleum. "Ava, have you not had enough?" "Enough?" I opened my eyes, my voice chillingly calm. "The tickets to the Maldives, her wearing my necklace, you going to her apartment in the middle of the night—and you think I'm the one making a scene?" The feed scrolled faster and faster. 【Is she ever going to shut up?】 【Just agree to the breakup already!】 【End this, please!】 Ethan took a deep, steadying breath, as if physically restraining himself. "I told you, we're just friends." "Are you?" I picked up my phone and pressed play on a recording. "Ethan, sweetie, if Ava finds out about us, do you think she'll go crazy?" Chloe's sickly-sweet voice filled the silent room. "She won't find out," Ethan's voice was low and cool. "And even if she does, there's nothing she can do about it." The recording stopped. The blood drained from Ethan’s face. The Comments froze for a full second, then erupted. 【HOLY SHIT! The side character recorded them!】 【Ethan is so busted!】 【This is getting good…】 I looked at him, my voice barely a whisper. "Now. Are you still going to tell me she's just a friend?" His fist clenched and unclenched at his side. Finally, without another word, he turned and left the room. The sound of the door slamming shut made my eardrums ache. A final, gold-lettered message flashed in the air. 【SYSTEM ERROR…】
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