Chapter 2

2

After sitting alone on the sofa for a few minutes, I picked up Rosalie’s phone from the coffee table.

I entered my birthday as the passcode, but the screen flashed an error.

Frowning, I tried her birthday instead, and the device unlocked instantly.

A bitter taste filled my mouth.

Using each other’s birthdays as passcodes had been our sacred rule for ten years.

I had no idea when she had quietly changed hers.

I opened her messaging app.

Our chat remained pinned at the very top, and her profile background was still a photo of us.

I scrolled through her gallery and social feeds, finding nothing out of the ordinary.

A small sigh of relief escaped my chest.

Yet a second later, a notification from the state traffic violations portal popped up on the screen.

Driven by a grim intuition, I tapped the alert.

A string of recent speeding and lane violation tickets appeared, all located around Pittsburgh.

That was precisely where Rosalie had supposedly been on her solo business trip.

In one captured traffic snapshot, she was passionately kissing the man in the passenger seat.

The man’s profile belonged unmistakably to my neighbor, Garrett.

My fingertips went completely numb, and cold sweat coated my palms.

I scrolled further down and noticed that there were no recorded violations for the current month.

Garrett had just moved into the apartment next door at the beginning of this month.

Looking up at the box of Pittsburgh pastries on the counter, the puzzle pieces fell ruthlessly into place.

Every time Rosalie returned from Pittsburgh, she brought me that exact brand of pecan fudge.

Her young lover had clearly brought it over to mark his territory.

Just as I prepared to close her phone, a message from her best friend flashed across the banner.

“You owe me big time for this. It took me ages to Photoshop that meeting photo for your husband.”

“And getting two of those limited-edition jerseys nearly drained my entire network!”

I dug my fingernails deep into my palms to keep from losing my mind.

Her business trip was a complete lie.

Last night, while I was watching the game alone, she was right on the other side of the wall in another man’s arms.

Even my exclusive anniversary gift had a matching duplicate made for him.

She really knew how to play both sides equally.

Taking a slow, deep breath, I used my own phone to photograph every single piece of evidence on her screen.

Then, I muted her notifications and placed the device exactly where she had left it.

A few minutes later, Rosalie stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around her damp hair.

“Declan, who was at the door earlier?”

I fought to keep my expression neutral. “Just the neighbor.”

I pretended to ask casually, “By the way, he mentioned he moved here from Pittsburgh. Do you know him?”

Her hand froze mid-motion as she dried her hair.

“How would I know him? Did someone new move in next door?”

She sounded so poised, her face showing not a single flicker of guilt.

I pushed the box of pastries toward her.

“Did you forget to bring back the pecan fudge from your trip this time?”

“The neighbor just gave me this box. Do you want some?”

Seeing the brand, Rosalie’s brows knitted slightly.

Still, she replied without missing a beat, “I was in such a rush to get home that I forgot to stop by the bakery.”

“I will pass. I never eat food given by strange men.”

I looked up, meeting her gaze squarely. “How did you know the neighbor was a man?”

The air in the room instantly turned ice-cold.

Our eyes locked in silence.

A brief panic flashed across her features, but she smoothed it over with practiced ease.

“Just a guess. It is usually either a guy or a girl.”

She feigned a pout and turned the tables.

“Besides, why would a strange woman come over to give my husband treats?”

With a few quick words, she skillfully deflected the suspicion.

I looked down, letting out a soft, mocking chuckle. “Just teasing you.”

Rosalie visibly let out a quiet breath of relief.

She tapped my chest playfully. “Declan, you are getting mischievous!”

I forced a faint smile and stood up. “Let me go change so we can head out.”

After our anniversary dinner, we got into the car to head toward the movie theater.

Midway through the drive, her phone began to ring.

I looked out the window, pretending not to notice the caller ID flashing: “Garrett Baby.”

She quickly answered the call, whispering a few brief words.

Then, she unbuckled my seatbelt and turned to me with an apologetic expression.

“Declan, an urgent crisis popped up at the clinic. I have to go handle it right now.”

I looked at her calmly and simply said, “Drive safely.”