Chapter 5

Only then did I realize there were two half-finished cups of Coke, two gaming mice, and an open bag of chips on the coffee table.

Any normal person seeing this scene would think it was a typical couple's everyday life.

Jason picked up on it right away.

He walked over and perched himself on the armrest next to me, his arm casually draped over the backrest behind me, looking laid-back and affectionate.

"Come on, Terry, you know how it is," Jason said with a grin. "Sophie and I got back to the country, and the place was sitting empty, so I let Sophie stay here. We hang out and play games when we're bored, that's all."

In a situation like this, it pretty much meant there was definitely something going on between us.

I felt Jason's fingers twirl a strand of my hair behind me with the right amount of flirtatiousness, but enough for Terry to notice.

I glanced at Jason, but he didn't even lift his eyes; he kept that carefree, mischievous smirk on his lips.

Terry stood there, his face unreadable, but I caught the way his jaw clenched for a moment.

I picked up on that tiny reaction, and my heart gave a sudden jump, instantly flooded by a complicated mix of secret satisfaction and bitterness.

I hated myself for still caring about how he reacted, but couldn't help feeling a hidden delight because of it.

"Jason," Terry said, his tone neutral, betraying no emotion.

"Hmm?" Jason responded.

"Come outside with me," Terry said.

Jason didn't move. He glanced down at me, like he was checking with me first.

I smiled, reached out, and gave Jason's knee a gentle tap, saying in a soft tone, "Go on, don't keep Terry waiting."

Jason froze for a second.

He probably didn't expect me to play along even harder than him, but he quickly caught on, gave my fingers a quick squeeze, and got up to head out.

As he passed Terry, he paused and said, "Let's go."

The two of them stepped out into the corridor.

The door was left slightly ajar, and a sliver of dim yellow light from the motion-activated hallway lamp spilled through the crack.

I could hear their voices, but couldn't make out what they were saying. I only caught the occasional snippet, fragments of words drifting in and out.

I sat on the couch, staring at the box of condoms on the entryway table, and couldn't help but feel a laugh bubbling up inside me.

It'd been three years since we last saw each other, and on the very first night we were back together, I was pretending with Jason right in front of Terry.

Seriously, what was I even doing?

The living room was dead silent. I gripped the mouse, and on the screen, the game had already booted me from the match. Now I was staring at the lobby screen.

Jason's avatar was a cartoon cat, and mine was another cartoon cat. The two cats sat side by side on the screen, looking so childish.

Suddenly, Jason's voice came from the hallway, a little louder and sharper. "Terry, why are you so nosy?"

Then Terry's voice followed, deep and serious. I only caught a few words. "She's not right for you... Think carefully."

Jason laughed softly, the sound slipping through the door with a sting. "I've got it all figured out. But you? You couldn't figure it out three years ago, and now you want to? Isn't it a bit late for that?"

The air fell dead silent.

Footsteps followed, one after the other.

The door swung open. Jason came in first, his lazy smirk back in place, though the light in his eyes had dimmed. Terry lingered in the doorway behind him, making no move to step inside.

Terry's gaze went right past Jason and landed on me.

He stared at me for a few seconds.

Then he turned and left. The sound of the elevator doors closing echoed in the hallway, and silence settled once more.