Chapter 2

But in the end, I still tapped his name.

The call rang for ages before he finally picked up.

"Hello?" William's voice was thick with alcohol. "Who is this?"

"William, it's Kayla," I said.

There was a pause, and then his tone turned awkward. "Oh, Kayla, sorry. I'm a bit drunk and didn't check the caller ID. What's up?"

"Is Anthony with you?" I asked.

"Yeah, yeah, we're all here, just hanging out and welcoming a friend back. Anthony's totally wasted tonight, but he's having a blast," William slurred.

"I'm coming to get him. Where are you guys?" I said.

"Seriously, Kayla, you don't need to come. I'll get my assistant to..." William started.

"Just give me the address." I cut him off.

He gave me the name of a club.

Then I heard a woman's voice on the other end, bright and playful, calling out, "Anthony," followed by a burst of cheers and laughter.

And just like that, the call ended.

At the end of the hallway, the door to the private room was ajar.

I stood at the doorway, not stepping inside yet.

There was Anthony, slouched on the couch, looking bored and uninterested, holding half a glass of booze in his hand.

William was running a game of truth or dare, and the bottle landed on Anthony.

Anthony picked truth.

William rolled his eyes, acting unimpressed, then flashed a sly grin. "Alright, out of all the women you've ever been with, who's the one you wish you hadn't let go?"

The vibe in the room just froze.

My heart was in my throat, and my mouth went dry.

Anthony paused for a few seconds, then said, "I'm married."

He picked up his glass and downed it in one go.

Someone laughed and said, "Looks like Anthony's punishing himself."

The woman next to Anthony looked up, her eyes rimmed with tears. She bit her lip, shooting Anthony a look full of hurt and unwillingness.

"Anthony, do you hate me? If only I'd had the guts back then..." she said softly.

I stood at the doorway, watching Anthony. He listened to the others, but for once, he looked lost in thought. He shot a look at the woman who was on the verge of tears, then grabbed his glass and drained it in one go.

William let out a sigh. "Alright, Sarah, don't be upset. Even if you two never became a couple, Anthony still treats you like his little sister."

Someone else chimed in, "Yeah, Anthony's kept up with everything you did all these years. When you got sick in the Unaxland with a high fever, he sent his assistant all the way over the very next day just to look after you."

"And when you were struggling with your thesis and couldn't find a supervisor, Anthony got the most respected professor at your university to tutor you," another person added.

"And don't even get me started on your birthday gifts," William said, counting off on his fingers like he was counting precious memories. "Has he ever missed one?

"One year, you moved and changed your address, and he asked around for days just to find your new place. He insisted on delivering it to you in person."

Everyone was chiming in, making the room lively and loud.

So that was why Anthony kept flying to the Unaxland all those times. It wasn't just for business trips. When she got sick, he sent someone over with medicine.

When she was struggling with her thesis, he arranged for the top professor to tutor her. And her birthday? He never forgot it, not even once.

But in my three years of marriage with him, whenever I got sick, all he ever told me was, "Take your medicine."

Whenever I ran into trouble at work, he'd just tell me to work it out on my own and learn to stand on my own two feet.

On my birthday, all I ever wanted was for him to have dinner with me, and even that was asking for too much.

I looked at Anthony, and an icy emptiness settled in my chest.

I stood frozen in the doorway, unable to tear myself away, as if punishing myself. My whole body felt cold, and my fingertips couldn't help but tremble.

Sarah's tears finally fell. She looked up at Anthony, her eyes filled with hurt, bitterness, and a careful glimmer of hope.

Anthony frowned, then reached out and drew her into his embrace.

He wrapped an arm around her, gently cradled her face, and brushed away her tears.

He bent down and murmured softly in her ear. Sarah nodded, then shook her head, and clung to him even tighter.

Staring at Anthony, who suddenly felt like a total stranger, I felt a wave of nausea hit me. My stomach burned, the pain spreading all the way up to my chest, making my heart throb.

Someone in the room stood up and walked toward the door. When they saw me, they stopped dead in their tracks, stunned.

They looked like they'd seen a ghost, their face going pale and awkward. "Kayla? What are you doing here?"

He didn't speak loudly, but the room was so quiet. Everyone heard him.

Anthony looked up, his pupils contracting in shock when he saw me. He just stared for a moment, then his brows furrowed.

Anthony's hand was still on Sarah's shoulder. He started to pull away, but she just pressed herself closer, holding onto him even tighter.

My stomach twisted with disgust. What I was seeing was so sickening that I nearly gagged.

I felt like a complete idiot, standing there like some clown, being made a fool of, my pride mercilessly ground into the dirt.

My mind went totally blank, and before I knew it, my body acted on its own.