Page 4 of Fractured Faceoff

I'll be there

I responded, sliding my phone back into my purse just as Mrs. Chen called my name to pick up the order.

I chuckled and shook my head as she handed me the bag of steaming takeout.

"Have a great night!" she said warmly.

"You too!" I called back, heading for the door.

The drive home was quick; traffic was mercifully light for once. Our townhouse sat in a quiet suburban neighborhood, lined with maple trees that were just beginning to turn fiery shades of red and orange. Brody and I had lived here together for the past two years, and I loved everything about it—the cozy feel of our home, the friendly neighbors, even the little park down the street where we often took evening walks.

Pulling into the driveway, I felt a surge of happiness at the thought of surprising him. Balancing work with quality time together had always been tricky, but moments like these made all the juggling worthwhile.

I grabbed the takeout bag and headed inside, eager to see his reaction when he realized tonight would be different.

I stepped into the townhouse, the familiar scent of home wrapping around me like a warm blanket. It was dark, the only light coming from the streetlamp outside filtering through the blinds. I heard noises upstairs—muffled voices, an occasional thud.

Setting down the takeout on the kitchen counter, Ishrugged off my coat and draped it over the back of the couch.

My heart raced, an uneasy feeling settling in my chest. Something felt off, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

I didn’t call out for Brody. I wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was the tightness in my chest or some instinct telling me to keep quiet. My feet moved almost of their own accord as I headed upstairs, each step amplifying the noises above.

Reaching the top of the stairs, I paused outside our bedroom door. The sounds were clearer now—moans and whispers that made my stomach churn. My hand trembled as I pushed the door open.

There they were. Brody and his co-host, tangled in our sheets, their bodies moving together in a rhythm that made me want to vomit. Her laughter filled the room, a sharp contrast to Brody's groans of pleasure.

My world shattered in that moment, pieces of it falling away like shards of broken glass. I stood frozen, unable to tear my eyes away from the scene before me. The tightness in my chest turned into a crushing weight as realization hit me like a freight train.

Brody looked up then, his eyes widening in horror as he saw me standing there. His co-host turned too, her expression shifting from pleasure to shock in an instant.

I couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. All I could do was stand there, feeling my heart break into a million pieces.

How did this happen?

Chapter 2

Jared

Istepped out of the office; the door clicking shut behind me. The air felt cooler in the hallway, different from the intensity of the session I’d just had with Isla. It was still hard to wrap my head around the fact that she worked here. Of all places.

When I used to spend time with Ava, Isla rarely came up in conversation. Ava would mention her occasionally, but it was always in passing—nothing significant enough for me to connect any dots. She’d talk about Isla’s rebellious streak, her artistic flair, but never about where she worked or what she did on a daily basis.

I rubbed my knee, feeling a dull ache where my ACL had been torn. Old injuries never really healed; they just faded into a constant reminder of past mistakes. As I limped down the corridor, my thoughts drifted back to those nights with Ava. We had our secrets—things we didn’t dare share with Kash.

Especially since Ava and I would get together whenever I was in town. It was a risky game, one that could blow up in our faces at any moment. But back then, it felt like wewere untouchable. Untouchable and invisible. Kash never suspected a thing, at least not to my knowledge.

Isla must have known something, though. She had this sharpness about her, a way of looking at you that felt like she could see right through your skin and into your soul. Did she know about Ava and me? Did she keep that secret buried deep? Or did she simply not care?

I paused by a window, glancing out at the parking lot below. Cars glinted under the setting sun, people moved like ants in and out of the building. Life went on outside these walls while inside, secrets simmered and festered.

I thought back to Isla’s face during our session—focused, unreadable.

But there was more to it.

She had this aura about her now, a blend of confidence and resilience that I hadn’t noticed before. She was her own person. It was hard to describe it, but she wasn’t that little girl anymore.

The thought of her with a guy gnawed at me. I wasn't stupid or blind. She was gorgeous—eyes that could pierce through any facade, a smile that seemed rare but genuine when it appeared. Of course, it made sense that she'd be with someone.

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