The moment the audio stopped playing, Ariel turned sharply to Divine, her face contorted in rage and confusion.
"What is this?!" she snapped. "How did you even get this?"
Divine opened his mouth, but no words came out. He was stunned by her sudden anger.
"You think you can make up some fake story and just—what? Win me over?" she continued, her voice rising. "Is that what this is about? You like me, so you try to ruin what I have with David?"
"No!" Divine finally said, panic flashing in his eyes. "Ariel, it's not fake. I didn't make it up. I was there. I heard it with my own ears. That's why I recorded it. You can go to his house right now if you don't believe me!"
Her chest rose and fell quickly as she tried to process everything. "Fine. Let's go," she said coldly. "I'll prove you wrong. David wouldn't do this to me. He wouldn't."
They both stood, walking briskly toward David's house. Divine's hands trembled at his sides. Ariel walked stiffly, her face unreadable. Neither of them said a word, but both were panicking — each for different reasons.
---
At David's apartment, Joy was already waiting.
When David stepped through the door, Joy beamed and greeted him with a hug. He closed the door behind them and tossed his bag on the floor, his expression tense.
"Joy," he said, sitting down. "We need to talk."
She folded her arms. "About?"
He ran a hand through his hair. "Look… I'm with Ariel. That's not going to change. I care about you, and I won't let this ruin what I have with her."
Joy gave a smug smile and walked over to him slowly. "So what are we, David? Just a side story?"
"I'll still make time for you," he muttered. "But you have to understand—I can't lose Ariel."
Joy sat right on his lap, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "Relax," she purred. "I'm not trying to ruin anything. For now."
He looked away, but didn't stop her when her hands began to trace his chest, fingers slowly unbuttoning his shirt.
---
Ariel and Divine reached the door. It was quiet.
Ariel lifted her hand to knock, but before she could, Divine suddenly stepped forward and pushed the door open.
What they saw froze both of them in place.
There, on the couch, Joy was perched on David's lap, her arms wrapped around him, and his shirt halfway unbuttoned. His hands were on her waist.
David's eyes widened in shock. "Ariel?!"
He shoved Joy off his lap and scrambled to his feet. "W-What are you doing here?!"
Ariel's world shattered in an instant. She stared, her breath caught in her throat. Her legs felt like they would collapse beneath her.
She turned slowly to Divine, her voice barely above a whisper. "Take me out of here."
David rushed toward her, panic in his voice. "Ariel, please! It's not what it looks like. I—"
Divine stepped between them, his arm protective around Ariel. "Don't," he warned David, shoving him back. "You should've cherished her when you had the chance."
"I messed up, okay?" David cried. "But it doesn't mean anything with Joy! I love Ariel!"
Ariel didn't speak. Her lips trembled, her eyes fixed ahead, refusing to meet David's.
"I trusted him…" she whispered to herself over and over, her voice broken and distant. Her thoughts drifted to the event of the past weeks. "I trusted him…"
Divine wrapped his arm more tightly around her and began leading her away.
David followed, desperate. "Please, Ariel! Don't leave like this! You have to believe me!"
Divine turned sharply and shoved him back again. "You don't get to ask for trust now."
David finally stopped chasing, collapsing to his knees on the sidewalk, tears streaming down his face.
---
The walk back to Ariel's apartment felt endless. She didn't speak, didn't cry. Her expression was blank, distant — as if she was still in shock.
Divine glanced at her several times, unsure of what to say. When they reached her gate, she finally looked at him.
"Thank you… for walking me home," she murmured, barely audible. "But… I don't want to talk right now. I just want to be alone."
Divine nodded slowly. "I understand."
As he stepped back, Favour rushed out of the house. Her face dropped the moment she saw Ariel's state.
"Divine, what happened?" she asked urgently.
Divine exhaled heavily and looked at her. "It's David… She caught him. With Joy."
Favour's hands flew to her mouth in shock. "Oh no…"
Divine gave Ariel one last glance before turning to leave. "Take care of her, please."
Favour nodded silently and wrapped an arm around Ariel as they walked inside together.