The silence after the confession felt suffocating.
Mia stared at Janice. "You really didn't think it mattered?"
Janice swallowed. "He asked if you were okay. That was it. I ignored him."
Ian's eyes didn't leave her face. "And you didn't think to mention it?"
"It wasn't a conversation," she said quickly. "It was nothing."
"That's the problem," Ian replied. "You decided it was nothing."
The guy shifted slightly, watching the damage unfold.
"I wasn't trying to cause this," he said, but there was something almost satisfied in his tone.
Ian stepped closer to Janice, lowering his voice.
"If some girl texted me behind your back… and I didn't tell you, how would you feel?"
Janice froze.
The answer was obvious.
She wouldn't like it.
But this felt different.
"Why are you acting like I cheated?" she asked, hurt flashing across her face. "I didn't reply."
"I'm not saying you cheated," Ian said. "I'm saying trust isn't just about actions. It's about honesty."
That hit harder than shouting ever could.
Mia looked between them, guilt creeping in. "Maybe this is my fault. If I had just—"
"No," Ian interrupted gently. "This isn't about you."
But it was no longer about the guy either.
It was about something fragile cracking.
Janice felt frustration rising. "You don't trust me?"
Ian hesitated.
That hesitation was everything.
"I do," he said slowly. "But tonight… I feel stupid."
Her heart dropped. "Why?"
"Because everyone else knew something I didn't."
The words cut deep.
The guy suddenly laughed under his breath. "See? All it takes is one message."
Ian's patience snapped. "You don't get to talk."
For a second, it looked like he might actually lose control.
Janice grabbed his arm. "Stop. Please."
He looked at her hand on him.
Then back at her eyes.
"Tell me something honestly," he said quietly. "If this never came out tonight… would you have ever told me?"
Janice opened her mouth.
She wanted to say yes.
But the truth was—
She hadn't planned to.
And Ian saw the answer in her silence.
He stepped back.
Not dramatically.
Just enough to make her feel the distance.
And for the first time since they started dating…
Janice wasn't sure if love was enough.