Chapter 5

At lunch, Simon found Lily.

He said, "Vanessa's not feeling well, so she can't eat just anything. Go make her some mild soup, something easy on the stomach. You can have some too while you're at it."

He said it so casually, like it was nothing. But there was no room for discussion, no asking—just ordering her around like she was the help.

Lily's fingers tightened around the thing she'd just pulled from the trash in the corner. She stood there, frozen.

She'd almost forgotten—she hadn't eaten or drunk anything since coming back.

Should she thank him for this?

Thank him for not completely ignoring her existence? For being so generous, letting her eat Vanessa's leftovers, letting her "have some too while she was at it"?

Thank him for showing her exactly where she stood—picking up whatever scraps of his attention Vanessa didn't want?

Lily swallowed the bitterness rising in her chest and turned to leave, but his hand caught her wrist.

"Stop acting like this." Simon's voice dropped low, and his eyes locked on hers with that look—like he was the most reasonable person in the world.

He continued, "She's a guest in our home. Even if you're trying to punish me, you should at least treat her properly."

Lily pressed her lips together. "A guest? Really?"

He'd brought Vanessa into their home, let her sleep in their bed.

He'd sat there with Vanessa, reminiscing about old times, acting like Lily didn't even exist.

And now he had the nerve to call Vanessa a guest and expect Lily to play hostess? To cook for her with her own hands?

How ridiculous.

How humiliating.

Lily couldn't listen to another word. She yanked her hand free and walked to the guest room.

Simon chased her to the door, his eyes flashing with impatience and blame. "It's just cooking dinner. You've done it a thousand times before. Why is it suddenly so impossible now?"

He sneered, "Just because I spent a little time with Vanessa at the hospital instead of being glued to your side every second, you're taking it out on her? Lily, jealousy really does make people ugly. You never used to be this petty."

Each word cut deep, and Lily's long lashes lowered as she felt her heart bleeding inside her chest.

After a moment, she spoke quietly, her head still down. "Simon, I haven't done anything wrong to you. You have no right to attack me over another woman."

Silence filled the room.

Then Simon left—walked out while she stood there, hurting and silent.

He was probably rushing off to comfort poor Vanessa, who didn't get her nutritious soup.

Disappointment and exhaustion crashed over Lily like waves, draining what little energy she had left. She closed her eyes, numb.

She must have fallen asleep because a scream woke her in the middle of the night. She followed the sound and found her boyfriend wrapped in the arms of his first love.

"There's a mouse, Simon!" Vanessa clung to him, pulling her legs up as high as she could.

Simon smiled and lifted her into his arms, his expression full of indulgent patience. "Really? I know you hate those things, so I actually had people come clean and check the whole place beforehand."

He frowned. "Guess the workers didn't do a thorough job."

He clearly knew she was being dramatic, but he was willing to play along—laughing with her, humoring her childish fears.

Lily stared at the two of them tangled together, stared at Simon's gentle, patient face, and her hands and feet went ice cold.

She'd assumed all the changes in the apartment were Vanessa's doing, but now she'd just heard him mention "cleaning beforehand."

So he hadn't just planned to bring Vanessa home—he'd been making preparations, arranging everything in advance.

And the mice weren't the only things that got swept away. He'd erased traces of her, too.

"Lily, we—" Vanessa spotted Lily first and plastered on a fake, embarrassed look, complete with an apologetic smile.

She quickly climbed off Simon but just as quickly latched onto his arm.

Lily watched the whole performance and strolled toward them.

Simon didn't know what Lily was planning, so he instinctively pulled Vanessa behind him.

His overprotective move made Lily want to laugh, but her mouth wouldn't cooperate. The corners stayed flat.

She moved past them like a hollow doll, numb and empty, and poured herself a glass of water. She didn't look at them again.

Simon finally noticed something was off. Lily was too calm—calm to the point of cold.

The woman who loved him desperately was giving him the cold shoulder?

No. Simon frowned. Something felt wrong, and the feeling crept up on him fast.

But before he could figure it out, Vanessa chimed in. "Lily, don't just drink water. There's food for you in the kitchen, right Simon?"

Lily ignored her completely. She grabbed some sleeping pills and headed back to her room with the water.

She was weak and exhausted right now. She needed rest so she could pack her things and get the hell out of here as soon as possible.

"Simon." Vanessa's eyes flickered with calculation. "Maybe you should go check on Lily? I know she can be a little selfish and reckless, but she did help you once. I really want everyone to get along."

"Vanessa, if only she was half as mature and understanding as you."

Lily had just laid down in the guest room when Simon pushed the door open.

She looked up at him and didn't hesitate. "I need to rest. Please leave."

Simon studied her pale, expressionless face. "If you can't be more reasonable about this and you're set on making everyone miserable, then I'll have no choice but to send you to the countryside estate for a while."

First, he'd stopped her medication, and now he wanted to send her away. What came next?

Would he let Vanessa torture her to death?

Lily's heart went cold, and she laughed bitterly. "Fine. Do whatever you want. I don't care anymore."

She said it for him, but she needed to hear it herself, too.

The room went silent.

"You don't care?" Simon's voice shot up like she'd struck a nerve. "You were willing to die for me, and now you're going to stand there and pretend you don't care?"

He clearly didn't believe her, but he couldn't stand the ice in her eyes. The second he finished yelling, he left as if he were running away.

Lily stared at the empty doorway and finally took a deep breath, trying to ease the tightness in her chest.

She knew where he was going. He was going to Vanessa.

And tonight, they'd sleep together in what used to be her bed, using everything she'd carefully chosen for their room without a second thought.