Chapter 4

"Chloe, let me explain..." He suddenly snapped out of it, trying to stand up and grab my hand.

I dodged him.

I stood up and looked down at him.

"Explain what?" A bitter, ugly laugh escaped my lips.

"Explain how you can cook an anniversary dinner for me while spending another 'third anniversary' with my best friend? Explain the perfume, the changed password, and all those nights you 'worked late'?"

I picked up the expensive diamond necklace, put it back in its box, and pushed it across the table to him.

"Liam, both of you make me sick."

"I have nothing going on with her! I didn't betray you!"

Liam almost yelled. He stood up so fast his chair scraped loudly against the floor.

"Vanessa... she's just... she's delusional! She made those posts up on purpose to show you! She’s trying to break us up, Chloe, you have to trust me!"

Trust him? With what?

"And the perfume?" My voice was quiet, but it cut right through his shouting.

"That sweet scent she always wears. How did it get on you? Over and over again."

Liam's lips trembled violently. His eyes darted around, avoiding my gaze.

"I... I don't know! Maybe in the elevator, or during meetings! The office is crowded, plenty of people use the same perfume!"

"Why did you change your password?" I pressed on, giving him no room to breathe.

"I... I just felt the old password wasn't secure! I wanted to change it! What's wrong with that? Don't I even have the freedom to change my own phone password?"

"Really?" I looked at him, my heart sinking to the absolute bottom. "Then what is your new password? Our anniversary, or her birthday?"

That question hit him like a sledgehammer.

His face turned from pale to ash-gray. His mouth opened, but not a single word came out.

His sudden rigidity and guilt spoke volumes.

"All those nights you 'worked late' until ten," I continued, my voice growing colder and steadier. "Where were you? Who were you with? Should I call Vanessa over to clear this up? Or should we check your car's dashcam and your credit card history?"

"Chloe!" he snapped, his voice cracking with sheer panic and anger.

"Do you have to be like this?! Do you have to investigate me? Is there no trust left between us?! I work my ass off out there every day for this home, for you! And you don't even trust me?!"

Trust. He actually dared to bring up trust at a time like this.

I watched his flushed, agitated face. He looked like a clown, trying his hardest to perform a monologue full of plot holes.

He didn't offer a single real explanation. He just denied, accused, and tried to guilt-trip me with his "sacrifices for the family."

I saw the anger drain from him like a deflating balloon, leaving only panic. The last tiny spark of warmth in my heart died in this dead silence.

"The password."

"Show me now. Or," I paused, "you pack your bags and get out tonight."

Liam stood there, frozen, as if pinned by my words.

"Chloe... do you really have to push me like this?" His voice sounded like sandpaper. "It's my privacy..."

"Privacy?" I took a step closer, staring into his dodging eyes. "You have two choices. No third option. Right now."

A few seconds of silence felt like an eternity.

Finally, agonizingly slowly, he pulled out his phone.

`[Paywall Node]` He closed his eyes and pressed his thumb hard against the screen.

The phone unlocked, and the screen lit up.