Chapter 3: No Way Back

5

@standinforever: Derek’s love is so shallow. If he really cared, what’s wrong with being the backup plan for three years—or forever?

u/feministicon: He’s selfish. Why does she owe him loyalty just because they’re engaged?

@redflagwatch: Anyone else notice how he looks ready to snap? If he’s like this now, imagine after marriage. Yikes.

@devil’sadvocate: Okay, but honestly? She did cheat.

@hotmesscentral: So what? She’s brave enough to chase love and still gets dragged for it? This world is chaos.

The notifications exploded, lighting up my phone like fireworks.

“What are you staring at?” Natalie snapped, suspicion in her eyes.

Her voice was sharp, but I caught a flicker of doubt. The overhead lights made everything look harsh—the cracks in our wallpaper, the mess we’d made of our lives. I glanced at my reflection in the glass of a photo frame: a stranger, tired and lost.

“Did you even hear me?”

I laughed, exasperated.

“Anything else you want to say? Let’s just get it all out tonight.”

She frowned, thrown.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing more? Then it’s my turn.”

I stepped out onto the balcony, lit a cigarette, and let the smoke curl in the cool October air. The smell of fallen leaves and distant bonfires drifted up from the street below. I leaned against the railing, watching headlights crawl by, letting the silence stretch until I was sure she was listening.

Only then did I turn back to see her stormy face through the sliding door.

“You’ve been talking in circles. Aren’t you tired?”

“What did you just say?”

A flash of anger crossed her face.

I held up my hands. “So, loving you means I have to put up with anything? Even you cheating? By your logic, I could hook up with whoever I wanted, then come home and expect you to just deal with it—or else you’re the one in the wrong. That’s what you want?”

I could feel myself about to say something cruel, but I caught myself, swallowing the words. My throat burned. I glanced away, feeling the regret before the words even left my mouth.

“Why the attitude? Did I say something wrong? Or is it just fine for you to mess around, but not for me? Why? Because you’re unreasonable? Because you’re… just, I don’t know. I don’t get it.”

“Natalie, think for a second. Have I ever treated you badly? Did I make you do anything you hated? Did I ever let you go without? What reason did you have to cheat? To lie?”

“If you didn’t want me, you could’ve said so from the start. I would’ve respected that. But you dated me for three years, we got engaged, and now you cheat and act like I’m overreacting? Where’s your conscience?”

“I know you’re blunt, but that doesn’t mean you can say whatever you want. Just—listen to yourself. Did your family teach you to treat people like this? Or do you just… enjoy the drama?”

My words hung in the air, the cigarette burning down to my fingers. City noise faded, replaced by the thud of my heartbeat. I flicked the butt over the railing, watched the ember spiral down.

Tomorrow, she’d be gone. And maybe, just maybe, I’d finally learn how to breathe again.