Chapter 4

Mavis wasn't pleased. "What's so funny? Am I wrong?"

"Every woman in our circle has a few lovers. I only have Neil."

"Frank, don't push your luck. I've loved you plenty."

The instant her eyes went red, I thought of the Mavis at eighteen, the one who'd confessed to me with such conviction.

"Frank, in this life there'll only ever be you. I will never betray you."

Now, out of the same mouth, only eight years later, it had become "don't push your luck."

Disappointment came down over me like a flood. I looked at her without flinching.

"Mavis, is that the kind of person I am to you?"

Her face stiffened, and she looked away from me.

"Even if you didn't do it, it started because of you."

I got to my feet, worn out. "The wound itched all day. I feel awful. I don't want to fight with you."

She frowned. "Is it that bad? Should we go to the hospital?"

"No need." I walked into the bedroom without looking back.

I slept until the middle of the night, when a hand yanked hard at the collar of my pajamas and jolted me awake.

Before I could get my bearings, I was forced down onto my knees.

I looked up into Mavis's eyes, burning.

"Did you expose Neil online?"

I struggled hard, but the bodyguard behind me gave me no chance to break free. All I could do was shake my head. "I didn't."

"You didn't? Then who did?"

She smashed the water glass on the nightstand and turned her fury on me.

"The whole internet is calling him a homewrecker. Do you know he was so humiliated he wanted to jump off a building?"

"If I hadn't kept him calm on the phone while I called the police, he'd already be a corpse!"

I stared blankly at this woman who had lost control, my heart dragged back and forth like a dull knife across it.

In the early days of the company, at a business dinner, one of our partners joked that I was the pretty boy she kept.

She was broke back then, crammed into the rundown neighborhood with me, and she still ended the partnership on the spot and paid a huge penalty for breaking the contract.

"You can joke about me. But not about him."

The woman who once chose to lose money rather than let me be insulted had become the one throwing dirt on me.

I couldn't help asking, "Mavis, why did you turn into this?"

Her face darkened further. "Don't change the subject. Post a clarification right now and apologize to him."

I clenched my teeth. "I didn't do anything. Why should I apologize?"

She looked at me coldly. "You don't want those coworkers suspended, do you?"

I stared at her in disbelief.

"They've been with us since the startup days. Without them, you'd never have made it this far."

She gave a cold snort. "Seniority doesn't excuse workplace bullying."

"Do it now. Don't make me say it twice."

I closed my eyes, took the phone the bodyguard held out, typed out a message, and posted it.

Mavis opened the app, went over every word, then reposted it from her own public account.

【Rumors end where the truth begins. I've retained a lawyer to gather evidence and will pursue whoever spread this to the end.】

I looked at her coldly. "Enough? Can you let me go now?"

She took the phone from me and looked down at me from where she stood.

"You went too far this time. You can sit here and think about it."

"I'm going to check on Neil. You'd better pray he's fine, or I'll settle tonight's account with you, principal and interest."

"I'll have the bodyguards watch you. Don't try anything."

The door locked behind her.

I scrambled up and pounded on it.

"Mavis, let me out. I have something to tell you!"

The footsteps paused.

Her voice came through the door. "Whatever it is, save it until I'm back."

The footsteps faded.

I leaned against the door and slowly slid down to the floor.

The room was quiet, quiet enough that I could hear my own heartbeat.

After a long silence, I lifted my head, and my eyes settled on the lighter on the nightstand.

The one I'd dug out of her coat pocket that day.

I reached for it, my fingertips tracing the cold metal shell.

Then I smiled.

And somewhere in the smiling, the tears came.

......

After a full day with Neil, Mavis felt uneasy for no reason she could name.

She dropped him off at home and turned to go.

"Where are you going?" Neil called after her.

She didn't stop. "Home for a bit first."

His voice turned aggrieved. "Didn't you say you'd stay with me for two days?"

She pulled the car door open. "Be good. I'll come see you tomorrow."

She hurried home, then stopped short.

Neighbors were gathered in front of her door, talking among themselves.

"What a tragedy. That fire last night was terrifying."

"It was. The firefighters took forever to put it out, and they carried someone out. Nobody knows if he's dead or alive now..."

"That person was burned black all over, didn't even look human. Probably won't make it."

Her heart lurched hard. She pushed stiffly through the crowd and stepped inside, one foot after another.

The house was black inside, reeking of charred wood.

"Frank?"

Dead silence. No one answered.