Chapter 5

Emily rushed over and grabbed my hand. "Charlie, please, look at me. Only once, okay?"

Her face was soaked with tears. "We've been friends for over twenty years."

She continued, "Remember in elementary school, when someone tried to corner you? I was the one who jumped in. When you got your first period, I lent you my uniform. On your wedding day, I was bawling in the audience, ruined my makeup completely."

"Charlie, you can't cut me off like this," she pleaded, her voice trembling.

She kept digging up old memories, like if she stacked enough of them, she could cover up the mess we were in now.

I stared at her, feeling nothing but numbness inside.

Of course I remembered all of it.

And that was exactly why it hurt so much.

If it had been some stranger who betrayed me, maybe I wouldn't feel this broken.

But it was Emily.

The one I always thought would never hurt me.

I slowly pulled my hand away from hers.

"Emily, you saved me once. I never forgot," I said quietly.

For a second, hope flickered in her eyes.

I went on, "But saving me once doesn't give you the right to wreck my family."

Emily froze, stunned.

I reached into my bag and took out a set of keys.

They were the spare keys to Emily's apartment.

After she got pregnant, she kept misplacing things. I asked for a spare, in case she needed help.

For three years, I used those keys to bring her food, medicine, and even rushed in to carry Sophie to the hospital when she had a fever.

Looking back, every time I opened that door, I was a fool walking straight into my own trap.

I placed the keys on the table.

Then I slipped off the red string bracelet from my wrist.

Dangling from it was a tiny safety charm, the one Emily gave me the day Sophie was born.

Back then, she said, "Charlie, you're Sophie's second mom."

I was sobbing so hard, thinking I'd been given the most precious trust in the world.

Now, every word of that felt like a shard digging into my heart.

I set the red string down too. "Emily."

She stared at me, completely lost.

"From today on, I'm not Sophie's godmother, and I'm not your friend anymore," I said.

Emily looked like all the life had drained out of her.

Sophie stood nearby, not understanding the grown-ups, and whispered, "Mommy, does Charlie not want me anymore?"

Emily's tears started flowing again.

She hugged Sophie tight, crying as she looked at me. "Charlie, how could you be so heartless?"

Michael spoke up, his voice low and tense. "Charlie, if you're angry at me, take it out on me. Don't hurt Sophie."

I looked at them and suddenly laughed.

Even I felt like a stranger to myself.

I said, "You two are really something.

"When you were lying to me, you claimed you were worried about my feelings. Now that the truth's out, suddenly it's all about the kid.

"All I did was pull myself out of your web of lies, and now I'm the villain?

"Doesn't that make you feel sick?"

Michael gritted his teeth. "I told you, Sophie didn't do anything wrong."

"And I told you, I'm not going to hurt her," I replied.

I said, word by word, "But I won't let you use her to hurt me anymore."

The room went silent.

Sophie was in Emily's arms, her eyes red and staring at me.

I walked over and opened the cake I'd brought.

I stuck three candles in and lit them.

The flames flickered softly, like they could go out any second.

I crouched down and managed a small smile for Sophie. "Happy birthday, Sophie."

She looked at me, sniffling. "Aunt Charlie, will you still come play with me?"

My throat felt so tight I could barely breathe.

After a long pause, I said softly, "Sophie, you need to listen to your mom and grow up well."

She didn't understand I was saying goodbye, nodded, confused.

I didn't reach out to touch her head.

This place used to be my home.

But now, with Michael, Emily, and Sophie standing there, I suddenly felt like the extra piece.

I guessed there was no reason for me to stay anymore.

I grabbed my bag, ready to leave.

Michael stepped in front of me, blocking my way. "Charlie, stop it."

His voice was low, full of that old confidence I used to know. "I know you're angry. But you can't let go of Sophie, or Emily. And you definitely can't let go of me."

He looked at me, softening his tone like he'd done so many times before. "Let's take a few days to cool off, okay?"

I looked up at him.

I used to fall for this every single time.

Whenever he'd lower his head, get teary-eyed, and call me Charlie, I'd feel like I could forgive anything.

But not anymore.

I pried his hand off the doorframe, finger by finger. "Michael, the Charlie you keep talking about? She stayed behind at that birthday party."

Michael's eyes widened in shock.

I didn't look at him again.

Before turning away, I took out my phone and sent the paternity test, the vasectomy report, and the surgical consent form, one by one, to Michael's mother.

I wasn't doing it to tattle.

And I wasn't hoping someone would stand up for me.

I suddenly didn't want to cover for Michael anymore.

My pain shouldn't be the thread stitching his lie together.

The moment the message sent, the world finally went quiet.