Page 42 of The Kat Bunglar

?Chapter 8

Unraveling: But With Style

July 17

Chicago

Laila Malik

Jay refused to meether eyes. Every time she looked at him or tried to speak, he would either avoid her gaze or leave the room altogether.

It had been over a week. They hadn’t spoken a single word.

The humid morning air hung heavily between them. The clatter of utensils against their ceramic bowls punctuated the icy silence at the dining table.

Laila broke first. “Jay, we can’t go on like this.”

She pushed away her bowl of cantaloupe, no longer hungry.

“I agree.” He didn’t bother looking up from his phone. “I think you should move out.”

Laila’s fork slipped from her fingers, clattering against the floor. “Why should I move out?”

Jay finally looked at her, his expression unreadable. “Because you don’t want to be here. You never wanted this penthouse. You’ve resented every decision I’ve made with our finances—”

“Exactly! Listen to yourself, Jay.” Her voice trembled with frustration. “Youmade decisions withourmoney. I told you we couldn’t afford this place. You borrowed money from your parents anyway—money we’ve never been able to pay back. And your mother still finds a way to take shots at me every Thanksgiving, like I’m the one to blame. I make a good salary, but we still struggle every month because your business ventures make no sense. The only reason we live here is so you can brag about the address to your potential clients.”

Jay exhaled through his nose, picked up his napkin, and dabbed at the corner of his mouth with an unnerving calm. Then he said, “Is that why you decided to go fuck the neighbor?”

Laila’s heart stopped.

Jay still wouldn’t look at her, his gaze locked on the clock behind her.

“I didn’t!” Her voice cracked, rising three octaves. “He’s aclient, Jay. That’s all!”

Jay scoffed. “I saw the way you looked at him. And when he wasn’t unconscious and bleeding on our sofa, I saw the way he looked at you.”

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