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“Alright, what aren't you telling me? Spill it.”
I said, “I'm innocent. Lily's the one who started a blog glorifying her ‘sacrifice for love.' Want to see?”
Lena raised an eyebrow. “You still follow your ex's blog?”
“No! A friend told me. I never looked. I only have eyes for you, I swear.”
She laughed. “Relax, I'm joking. If you wanted her, you wouldn't be with me.”
I muttered, “Well, if she'd stayed with Jake, I might've been available.”
Lena threw a pillow at me. “David! So I was the backup plan? Sleep on the couch tonight.”
“Nooo, I can't sleep without you.”
We were messing around when Mom walked by. “You kids are so noisy.”
Lena and I smiled. Lily was already in the past.
I thought that was the end of it. But Lily showed up again—like a stubborn stain.
This time, she looked worse. Bruised, like she'd been beaten.
I didn't feel sorry. Lena had just stepped away—Lily appeared. Too convenient.
Lily cried, “Help me! Jake won't agree to divorce. He hit me. Talk to him for me.”
“Lily, I'm not your keeper. If you're in trouble, call the police.”
“How can you say that? We were married. Once I divorce Jake, we'll be together again.”
What? Was she delusional?
“Lily, I never said I'd take you back. I'm married. It's over.”
“Even if I were single, I wouldn't want you.”
I pointed behind her. “If you have something to say, say it to him. Leave me out of it.”
I walked away, leaving Lily and Jake to argue.
I made mistakes, but I never blamed others. We all live with our choices.
Lily chose her path—she had to walk it alone.
But I didn't expect it to end so tragically.
A month after returning to New York, I heard Lily had died.
The police found the killer quickly: Jake.
The motive? Money.
He'd taken out a life insurance policy on Lily—with himself as beneficiary.
He staged her death to look accidental, but the police saw through it.
Jake was arrested. The stress worsened his condition—he died before sentencing.
Hearing about their ends, I felt nothing. They were strangers now.
My mind was on the pregnancy test Lena just brought home.
This time, I'm going to be a father. With the right person.
