Chapter 5 · Why Would I Save You Now

It was the third week.

The company's mid-year dinner was held at a private restaurant on the east side of the city.

I arrived right on time and took a seat in the middle of the long table.

Elle Gibbs from the team next door came over and sat beside me. She lifted her cup and tapped it against mine. "Kieran, is your wife feeling any better?"

"She's much better. She'll get her cast off next week."

"That's good." Elle paused, then leaned in and lowered her voice. "Actually, there's something I'm not sure if I should tell you..."

"Go ahead."

"Last Wednesday, I saw Greta at the mall in the south of the city. She was shopping with some guy..."

"Glasses? Smooth skin?"

"You know him?"

"Yeah, I know him." I took a sip of coffee. "He's her closest guy friend."

Elle hesitated, then patted my shoulder. "Alright, as long as you know."

I knew what was up.

I knew better than anyone.

When I got home that night, Greta was curled up on the couch, scrolling through her phone. As soon as she saw me, she quickly turned off the screen.

"Why are you so late today?" she asked.

"Company dinner," I replied.

"I see..." She sat up straight. "I've been binge-watching shows all day. It was so boring."

"Really?" I said.

I changed into my slippers and walked into the kitchen to get some water, keeping my face neutral.

I thought to myself, 'Southside Mall. Binge-watching shows all day.

'Alright, got it.'

Another week went by.

Louie was getting bolder.

He started texting Greta even when I wasn't "on a business trip."

Louie: [Hey, wanna grab lunch? There's a new restaurant that just opened.]

Greta replied: [Can't. He's home.]

Louie: [What about later? Isn't he working late today?]

Greta: [Don't rush me. I'll come up with something.]

I sat in my study, scrolling through their chat history, like I was watching a show where I already knew every twist before it happened.

I was the one pulling the strings.

They didn't even know they were just playing their parts.

That evening, I brought it up to Greta. "Next Tuesday, I'm going on a company retreat. I'll be out of town for two days."

Greta looked up, and for a moment, I caught a flicker of excitement in her eyes. She tried to cover it up fast, but I saw it.

"Okay, just be careful," she said.

"Yeah," I replied.

On Tuesday morning, I grabbed my suitcase and headed out, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead.

I felt her body stiffen for a moment.

I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the basement.

I tossed my suitcase into the trunk, but I didn't head to the train station.

Instead, I drove to the underground garage of the office building across from our apartment complex, parked, and walked back to another building in the complex, Frankie's place.

When Frankie opened the door, he looked confused. "Weren't you supposed to be on a business trip?"

"I need a favor," I said.

"What?"

"Can I crash in your living room for the afternoon? The window looks right over my place."

Frankie's expression shifted from confusion to realization.

He gave my shoulder a pat, but didn't say a word.

He turned around and grabbed a couple of beers from the fridge.

At 3:42 PM, a silver Audi pulled into the neighborhood.

At 3:45 PM, Louie headed upstairs.

Then, the living room light in my apartment came on.

At 4:10 PM, the curtains were drawn.

Frankie gave me a look.

I finished my beer, crushed the can, and set it down on the table.

"Frankie, you studied law back in the day, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, I majored in law, but I never took the bar exam," he replied.

"So, in a divorce, how does the court handle property division if one spouse cheats?" I asked.

Frankie sat up straight. "If you've got solid proof, the cheating spouse might get less, or even nothing."

"What counts as solid proof?" I asked.

"Photos, texts, videos, testimony... The more you have, the better. The more organized, the better. You want to put together a solid case," he explained.

I nodded.

"That's enough," I said.

I stood up.

"Thanks. Dinner's on me tomorrow," I said.

"Kieran," Frankie called out, stopping me.

I paused at the door.

"Doesn't this bother you?" he asked.

I thought for a moment.

I said, "Last year, when I crawled out of the ocean, that hurt a hell of a lot more than this.

"This? It's just going through the motions."

Chapter 5

It was the third week.

The company's mid-year dinner was held at a private restaurant on the east side of the city.

I arrived right on time and took a seat in the middle of the long table.

Elle Gibbs from the team next door came over and sat beside me. She lifted her cup and tapped it against mine. "Kieran, is your wife feeling any better?"

"She's much better. She'll get her cast off next week."

"That's good." Elle paused, then leaned in and lowered her voice. "Actually, there's something I'm not sure if I should tell you..."

"Go ahead."

"Last Wednesday, I saw Greta at the mall in the south of the city. She was shopping with some guy..."

"Glasses? Smooth skin?"

"You know him?"

"Yeah, I know him." I took a sip of coffee. "He's her closest guy friend."

Elle hesitated, then patted my shoulder. "Alright, as long as you know."

I knew what was up.

I knew better than anyone.

When I got home that night, Greta was curled up on the couch, scrolling through her phone. As soon as she saw me, she quickly turned off the screen.

"Why are you so late today?" she asked.

"Company dinner," I replied.

"I see..." She sat up straight. "I've been binge-watching shows all day. It was so boring."

"Really?" I said.

I changed into my slippers and walked into the kitchen to get some water, keeping my face neutral.

I thought to myself, 'Southside Mall. Binge-watching shows all day.

'Alright, got it.'

Another week went by.

Louie was getting bolder.

He started texting Greta even when I wasn't "on a business trip."

Louie: [Hey, wanna grab lunch? There's a new restaurant that just opened.]

Greta replied: [Can't. He's home.]

Louie: [What about later? Isn't he working late today?]

Greta: [Don't rush me. I'll come up with something.]

I sat in my study, scrolling through their chat history, like I was watching a show where I already knew every twist before it happened.

I was the one pulling the strings.

They didn't even know they were just playing their parts.

That evening, I brought it up to Greta. "Next Tuesday, I'm going on a company retreat. I'll be out of town for two days."

Greta looked up, and for a moment, I caught a flicker of excitement in her eyes. She tried to cover it up fast, but I saw it.

"Okay, just be careful," she said.

"Yeah," I replied.

On Tuesday morning, I grabbed my suitcase and headed out, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead.

I felt her body stiffen for a moment.

I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the basement.

I tossed my suitcase into the trunk, but I didn't head to the train station.

Instead, I drove to the underground garage of the office building across from our apartment complex, parked, and walked back to another building in the complex, Frankie's place.

When Frankie opened the door, he looked confused. "Weren't you supposed to be on a business trip?"

"I need a favor," I said.

"What?"

"Can I crash in your living room for the afternoon? The window looks right over my place."

Frankie's expression shifted from confusion to realization.

He gave my shoulder a pat, but didn't say a word.

He turned around and grabbed a couple of beers from the fridge.

At 3:42 PM, a silver Audi pulled into the neighborhood.

At 3:45 PM, Louie headed upstairs.

Then, the living room light in my apartment came on.

At 4:10 PM, the curtains were drawn.

Frankie gave me a look.

I finished my beer, crushed the can, and set it down on the table.

"Frankie, you studied law back in the day, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, I majored in law, but I never took the bar exam," he replied.

"So, in a divorce, how does the court handle property division if one spouse cheats?" I asked.

Frankie sat up straight. "If you've got solid proof, the cheating spouse might get less, or even nothing."

"What counts as solid proof?" I asked.

"Photos, texts, videos, testimony... The more you have, the better. The more organized, the better. You want to put together a solid case," he explained.

I nodded.

"That's enough," I said.

I stood up.

"Thanks. Dinner's on me tomorrow," I said.

"Kieran," Frankie called out, stopping me.

I paused at the door.

"Doesn't this bother you?" he asked.

I thought for a moment.

I said, "Last year, when I crawled out of the ocean, that hurt a hell of a lot more than this.

"This? It's just going through the motions."