3
541words
During that time, Owen was posting non-stop on Instagram. Every. Single. Day.
Every post featured Evelyn.
[The moon is high, and I’ve got my star]
Photo, Owen's selfie, with Evelyn on a call in the background through the window.
[A star always shines, and I will chase its light.]
Photo, Owen's hand wearing some tacky star-shaped ring, being held by another hand—unmistakably Evelyn’s.
[My star shows me the world!]
Photo, First-class cabin. Owen grinning widely next to Evelyn, who’s asleep.
Post after post.
Alex saw them and practically levitated off the couch.
"Holy crap, that little weasel! Is Evelyn freaking blind? Can't she see this slimeball is playing her? Even a dog could smell his crap from a mile away!"
Alex was apoplectic.
In contrast, I felt strangely calm.
I just felt… empty. Like I’d finally detoxed. Watching him rage felt almost surreal. "Evelyn knows exactly what she's doing," I said, my voice flat.
"Knows?" Alex dropped back down heavily beside me. "Then what the hell is all this ‘we’re just friends’ nonsense?"
"In Evelyn’s world, as long as they haven't slept together, it's 'innocent'. She genuinely believes she hasn't crossed a line."
Evelyn always clung to that technicality.
So every time I called her out, she’d hit me with the same garbage, "Owen and I are completely innocent! You’re the one with the dirty mind! You see something wrong in everything!” It used to leave me speechless.
Now? Just numb. "Gotta go," I reminded Alex. "The movers are coming."
Since Evelyn and I were divorcing, I needed to get my things out of the house.
My mother's heirlooms were still there.
Alex sighed, clapping my shoulder. "Alright, man. As long as you're sure."
Alex came with me. We waited outside the house.
Checking Owen's feed again, I knew Evelyn was out of town for a few days.
I thought we'd avoid a scene.
I was wrong.
The second I pushed the door open, the smell of food hit me. Walking in, I saw Owen sitting at our dining table, legs crossed, happily munching on a plate of shrimp.
He froze when he saw me, Owen froze, instantly morphing into the picture of a chastened child. He jumped up.
"Liam!"
I just stared at him, wearing my pajamas and my slippers.
Then Evelyn walked out of the kitchen carrying a dish. Her smile vanished.
"Have you eaten?" she asked stiff.
I ignored her attempt at peace and walked straight to the bedroom. And froze.
The figurines I carefully kept on the nightstand were knocked over.
The bed was a mess, sheets tangled.
The closet door hung open, clothes clearly dug through. And the wall safe – the one hidden in the back of the closet – was standing open.
My heart stopped. I lunged for the safe.
"Liam..." Owen's voice was barely a whisper from the doorway.
"I'm so sorry... Evelyn said I could borrow some clothes since my luggage got lost… I accidentally opened the safe..." My vision blurred, ears ringing. "I swear it wasn an accident! Liam, please!"
I turned slowly, dread twisting in my gut. My eyes landed on the shattered pieces of jade in Owen's hand. I stopped breathing.
"Please forgive me!"
