I thought my best friend was just grieving. I thought my marriage was solid. But one fake message, one hotel room, and one secret thread later, everything I believed about loyalty, friendship, and love started to unravel.
Now I have to decide who I trust, and who I don’t.
The morning before everything seemed to crack, my son looked at me like he knew something was coming.
Bren sat at the table in mismatched socks, giving me a curious glance. He didn’t say much. He just stirred his cereal, watching me pour coffee like he was reading the thoughts in my head.
“You’re being loud in your head again,” he said, echoing something I’d once told him.
“It’s that obvious?”
He nodded and kept eating.
Across the kitchen, Elara hummed while making Nyx’s lunch.
Her robe sleeve kept dipping into the peanut butter, and she didn’t notice. I almost told her, but I didn’t want to break the peace.
My wife looked soft, like she hadn’t fought herself awake that morning. It was the kind of ordinary moment we used to call perfect.
And yet, I felt something twisting beneath it.
I found out why an hour later.
Kellan texted:
“Come over.
I need to show you something!”
I thought he was spiraling again. I thought he needed a friend.
He opened the door with that tight, restless energy he’d worn for a year, like grief had turned into caffeine. He didn’t sit.
He didn’t offer coffee.
He just slid a second phone across the coffee table.
“Just read it,” he said.
It wasn’t his phone.
The open thread was between someone named Jacob and Elara.
Jacob: “You’re still so attractive. Your husband doesn’t have to know.”
Elara: “Flattering. But I’m not interested.
Have a good night.”
Jacob: “Come on. One drink. I booked a room at the Franklin on 8th.”
Elara: “I’m married.
And I’m not the kind of woman you’re looking for.”
I felt my stomach twist.
“A loyalty test,” Kellan said. “Jacob’s a guy from my gym. I asked him to flirt.
And to push a little. I wanted to see what happened.”
“You tested my wife?!”
“She passed. But she didn’t tell you, did she?
That’s hiding. She hid the truth.”
“She doesn’t owe you anything,” I said. “And she sure as heck didn’t owe you proof.
Or me, for that matter.”
Kellan leaned back on the couch.
“She helped Ava disappear. I don’t care if you believe me or not. I needed to know if she was playing you too.”
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