The clock read 12:07 a.m. when Lillian finally stepped into her apartment.
Her bag felt impossibly heavy on her shoulder, and her heels were abandoned at the door. She kicked them aside and let out a long, tired sigh. Her mind was still buzzing with lines of code, system modules, and Sebastian Wolfe's icy blue glare.
"Ethan… I'm home," she called, her voice small in the empty apartment.
Silence answered her.
She frowned. Strange. Usually, he'd respond instantly, asking if she wanted him to make her something to eat or to wait up for her. Not tonight.
Dropping her bag by the sofa, she walked toward the bedroom.
The apartment was dimly lit by the faint glow of the city outside. Everything seemed normal at first — shoes by the door, his laptop on the table, the faint hum of the refrigerator. But there was something off.
A faint scent of perfume lingered in the air, floral and sharp. Her stomach sank.
She approached the bedroom slowly, every step heavier than the last.
The door creaked as she opened it.
Her eyes froze.
There he was — Ethan — asleep in their bed. And next to him, a woman. Another woman. Completely asleep, pressed against him.
Lillian's heart pounded. Her hand shot to her mouth, stifling a gasp. The exhaustion of the night vanished instantly, replaced by a surge of disbelief and fury.
"No… no, this isn't happening," she whispered. Her voice cracked, trembling like the fragile edges of her sanity.
Ethan stirred at her voice. Eyes blinking open, confusion etched on his face. "Lillian? What… what are you doing up? It's so late…"
She stepped back, trembling. "Explain this."
He froze, panic flashing across his face. "I… I can explain—."
"No," she said, cutting him off. "Don't. I think it's pretty clear."
The other woman stirred, mumbling something in her sleep. Lillian felt her chest tighten.
"L-Lillian…" Ethan's voice dropped. "It's not… I didn't—."
"Don't. Don't even start, Ethan," she said, her voice breaking. "I can't believe I'm standing here. I trusted you. I gave up nights, weekends… everything. And this is how you repay me?"
He reached out, eyes wide. "It's not what it looks like. I swear—."
"Not what it looks like?" she scoffed bitterly. "You're in my bed with another woman. At midnight. Don't you dare insult me with excuses!"
"I… I was lonely," he admitted, voice faltering.
"Lonely?" Lillian repeated, incredulous. "You think loneliness is an excuse for cheating? While I'm working late nights, trying to make sure our lives run smoothly, you do this?"
Ethan opened his mouth to speak again, but Lillian shook her head. "I don't want to hear it. I'm done."
Her hands shook as she grabbed her bag from the floor. She couldn't stay here. Not now.
She walked to the door, her body trembling from exhaustion and adrenaline.
"Where are you going?" Ethan asked, panic turning into desperation.
"To think," she said sharply. "To get away from you, from this… from everything. I can't even look at you right now."
"Lillian, wait! I can fix this!" he pleaded, standing and reaching toward her.
"No, Ethan. You can't. You've made your choice."
She stepped out into the hallway, slamming the door behind her. The sound echoed like a verdict.
The city streets were cold and quiet as she hailed a cab. Her hands shook on the steering wheel as she fumbled with her bag. She didn't know where she was going — only that she needed space. She needed distance.
"Where to?" the driver asked.
"Anywhere… a hotel. Just… somewhere," she said, her voice barely steady.
The cab hummed through the streets. Lillian stared out the window, eyes glossy with unshed tears. She replayed the scene in her mind, over and over.
How long had this been going on? Weeks? Months? She had spent hours at work, nights at Sovereign, nights worrying about Sebastian Wolfe's temper, his workload… and Ethan had been… here.
The thought twisted in her stomach, making her feel hollow.
She arrived at a small hotel downtown. The lobby was quiet. The night clerk gave a polite nod as she fumbled with her keys. She barely registered him.
Upstairs, the room was dim and welcoming. She let herself collapse onto the bed, still fully dressed, still shaking.
Her body sagged into the mattress. The exhaustion from the long night at Sovereign finally caught up with her. She wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn't come — too many emotions tangled together: anger, hurt, disbelief, and betrayal.
She hugged her knees to her chest, staring at the ceiling.
Her mind drifted back to Sebastian Wolfe. The memory of last night — his cold insistence that she go home, the faint acknowledgment that he noticed her fatigue — contrasted sharply with this betrayal.
Here was someone who saw her effort, even if he didn't admit it with warmth. Here was someone who, despite arrogance and sharp words, noticed her as a person.
She realized how much of herself she had poured into work, hoping to keep her life together, only to find it crumbling at home.
Her phone buzzed in her bag. She ignored it. She didn't want to deal with messages, calls, or texts. Not now.
All she could think was: she had a life. A life full of betrayal, disappointment, and neglect. And at least at Sovereign, her work mattered. At least there, someone noticed when she gave her all.
She closed her eyes, letting the soft hotel lights and the distant hum of traffic calm her frayed nerves.
Tomorrow, she would have to face Ethan, have the conversation she didn't want, make decisions she had tried to avoid. But tonight… tonight, she could just breathe.
For the first time in weeks, maybe months, she allowed herself that small reprieve.
She had left the apartment. She had escaped the immediate hurt. And somewhere, in the quiet darkness of this hotel room, she could start to rebuild.
Even if just a little.