After lunch with Sophie, Lena decided to take her time walking through the nearby mall. The air-conditioning was cool, the soft hum of chatter oddly comforting as she weaved between shops.
As she passed a home store, she paused, then grinned to herself.
Ethan had stayed over.
And something about that small reality made her heart flutter.
She stepped inside and began browsing — toothbrushes, a clean towel set, even a fresh set of T-shirts. Maybe even a spare charger. Just in case.
She wasn't planning anything. But she also didn't want him to feel like a guest anymore.
As she sorted through a few options, her phone buzzed in her bag. A message from Ethan.
Ethan: Have you eaten? Or are you just running on coffee again?
Lena grinned and quickly replied.
Lena: Met Sophie for lunch. And now I'm shopping for you, actually. Spare stuff for when you stay over again 👀
She snapped a photo of the towel colors and sent it with: Your pick?
A minute later, his reply came:
Ethan: So thoughtful. Maybe I should prepare my place too... in case someone ends up staying over soon.
Her face flushed as she bit her bottom lip, the ghost of a smile tugging at her lips.
Lena: Looking forward to it already?
Ethan: Every damn second.
She was about to respond when a voice behind her cut through the soft buzz of the store.
"Lena?"
She turned slowly, surprised — and a little wary — to see Madison standing a few feet away.
Her hair was perfectly styled, her makeup immaculate—just like always. But her expression was different this time—uncertain, slightly worn.
"Hey," Madison said softly. "You look different."
Lena blinked. "Excuse me?"
Madison gave a small, almost shy smile. "I mean that in a good way. You look… happier. Softer. In love, maybe."
Lena didn't answer immediately.
Madison took a breath. "I just wanted to say… I'm sorry. For what I did. For being the third party."
Lena was silent for a moment, then nodded slowly. "You know… it's strange. I thought I'd be angry forever. But now… I think I should thank you."
Madison looked startled. "What?"
"If it wasn't for what happened, I wouldn't have realized how empty things had become," Lena said quietly. "I wasn't in love with Anthony. Not really. I was just used to him — to the routine, to the idea of having someone."
She met Madison's eyes with quiet clarity. "Looking back, there was never any real love. Just comfort. Habit."
Madison's smile faltered. "Then why does it still feel like I did something terrible?"
Lena looked at her, steady. "You did sleep with someone else's boyfriend. For three years. Why?"
Madison's face crumpled slightly. "I know. I know it was wrong. But… I couldn't find anyone else. No one looked at me the way he did. I liked the attention. I convinced myself it meant something."
Lena's expression softened. "Does he still contact you?"
Madison nodded, a bit guilty. "Sometimes. Late at night. When he's lonely, I guess."
She hesitated for a moment, then looked down at her hands.
"There's one more thing," she said quietly. "Something I never told anyone."
Lena's eyes narrowed slightly, but she stayed quiet.
Madison's voice was barely above a whisper. "During those three years… I thought I meant something to him. But I found out he was still seeing other women. I wasn't even the only one he was cheating with."
Lena's stomach twisted, but her expression stayed calm. "You were being cheated on while you were helping him cheat on me."
Madison nodded, shame flooding her face. "I thought I was special. I thought eventually he'd choose me. But I was just… one of many."
Lena exhaled, the final piece clicking into place. Anthony had never been loyal to anyone. Not truly.
"You weren't the problem, Madison," she said softly. "He was."
Madison looked up, blinking back tears. "Thank you. Really."
Lena sighed. "Madison… you're worth more than that. More than stolen moments in the dark. Anthony's just using you. He never once thought about making you official. And he never will."
Madison blinked quickly, holding back emotion. Lena stepped a little closer, her voice kind but firm.
"Cut him off. Block him. Heal. You deserve someone who'll love you out loud. Not someone who keeps you in the shadows."
Madison swallowed hard, then nodded slowly. "Thanks, Lena. I… I needed to hear that."
Lena offered a small smile. "One day, you'll find someone who looks at you and doesn't want to hide it. Someone who's proud to love you."
Madison gave a shaky breath. "I hope so."
*****
The mall buzzed around her with the usual rhythm of shoppers—voices rising and falling, the occasional laugh, the soft scuffle of footsteps on polished floors. But Lena barely heard any of it.
Her conversation with Madison echoed in her mind and she couldn't shut off.
Three years. Multiple women. All the lies she'd never seen.
As she stepped onto the escalator and let herself be carried down toward the exit, a knot tightened in her chest.
Why didn't she see it?
The question burned like shame.
The times Anthony had come home late without explanation. The last-minute "business trips." The way he always kept his phone face-down. The sudden mood shifts whenever she asked about his day.
She remembered the way he used to guilt her for being busy with work, claiming she was distant, unavailable while he was off building secret lives behind her back.
God, how did she let be so blind?
She didn't feel angry. Not anymore.
Just tired. And a little sad for the woman she used to be. She had fought so hard to hold on to something that never really existed.
As she stepped outside, the breeze caught her hair and cooled the flush on her cheeks.
She drew in a deep breath and she was done blaming herself.
By the time Lena returned home, her arms were full of neatly packed bags from the mall. She kicked off her shoes at the door, set everything down in the entryway, and took a breath.
The apartment was quiet, peaceful. Still faintly holding the warmth of the morning she had spent with Ethan.
She unpacked slowly, placing the new toothbrush, razor, towel set, and a few comfortable shirts into an empty drawer in her bedroom. A space just for him.
It felt simple. Intentional.
And real.
Once everything was tucked away, she grabbed her phone and texted him.
Lena: Just got home. Ran into Madison at the mall, of all people.
She set the phone down on the counter and poured herself a glass of water. A few minutes passed before the screen lit up again.
Ethan: Madison? Are you okay?
Lena smiled faintly at the concern in his message. She leaned against the counter and typed her reply.
Lena: I'm fine. It was unexpected, but calm. We talked. I think… I've let go of the betrayal. We've both moved on. That part of my life feels like it's finally closed.
She watched the screen for a moment. But no reply came right away.
The clock ticked softly behind her. Another few minutes passed. Then finally, Ethan's message popped up:
Ethan: Sorry, I got caught up at the office. Things piled up this afternoon.
Lena's expression softened. She could imagine him sitting at his desk, probably reading through files while sneaking glances at his phone, trying to balance everything like he always did.
She typed carefully, fingers moving slower now.
Lena:I'm the one distracting you. Don't worry about replying anymore. Focus. This'll be my last message.
Then she paused… before adding something more.
Lena:If you don't mind, I was thinking I could make us a simple dinner tonight. Just something warm and easy. Take your time — no need to rush back.
She hit send and set the phone down again, this time with a small, quiet smile.
Her phone buzzed just as she was about to step away.
Ethan: That message was impossible to ignore.
A second later, another text came through.
Ethan: You could never be a distraction. You're the reason I want to get through the workday faster.
Lena's breath caught slightly, her thumb hovering over the screen.
Ethan: And dinner with you? That sounds like the best thing I could look forward to after work.
Then, a final message that made her heart tighten in the softest way.
Ethan: Take your time too. I will feel bad to keep you waiting with the food ready.
Lena stared at the screen, a gentle heat blooming in her chest. Ethan is always so thoughtful.
She turned toward the kitchen, still smiling like his words had tucked themselves into her chest.