#Chapter 44: The Truth


    Abby


    The door to my office clicks shut, its noise echoing in the room, serving as a final punctuation to Karl’s


    exit.


    I watch him go, and the residue of our past, thick with pain and longing, clings to me, making it hard to


    breathe.


    A sigh escapes me as I lean back into my chair, the cool leather pressing against my back, providing a


    temporary relief.


    The whiff of the past and ourplicated rtionship is still strong in the air. Passing a hand over my


    face, I let the sensation of touch distract me momentarily. How I wish things could be different, simpler.


    But my heart is still entangled with Adam’s, and the thought of ending it leaves me adrift in a sea of


    uncertainty. I haven’t made my decision yet; I love Adam. He’s been my rock for a long time now. We


    have plenty inmon, and he’s sweet and caring…


    But he just doesn’t seem to have the same passion for me as I would hope he would. He’s sweet, yes,


    but I don’t feel like a priority in his life.


    I want him to want me; I want him to get angry and jealous over Karl, I want him to have sex with me, I


    want him to show up when he says he will because he can’t get enough of me. And yet here I am, a


    ring on my finger, and he can hardly make time for me. It makes me feel worthless.


    Then there’s Karl. Sweet Karl. He’s changed so much recently. He’s be kinder, more


    understanding. He still has his rough edges, his undeniable Alpha attitude, but that’s what I like about


    him.


    But he divorced me. His words may be dripping with sweetness now, but nothing can erase that fact.


    My phone vibrates on my desk, its sudden intrusion breaking through my thoughts. The screen disys


    Leah’s name. Picking it up, I answer, “Hey.”


    “Abby, Chloe told me about what happened. Not just with Adam, but... your burn. Are you okay?”


    I nce down at my arm, the scarlet mark still raw and angry. “I’m fine now. Got the burn taken care


    of,” I reply, attempting to sound more upbeat than I feel.


    “And Adam?” Leah’s voice isced with concern, but there’s also an underlying tone that makes me


    hesitate.


    I fall silent. How do you exin something you don’t fully understand yourself?


    Leah sighs on the other end, as though reading my thoughts. “Listen, Abby. Whatever happens


    between you and Adam, know that I’m behind you. But...” she pauses for a moment. “Just remember


    not to run back to Karl.”


    A sh of irritation courses through me. Why does everyone assume I’d go running back to him? Is that


    all they think of me?


    “Leah,” I snap before I can stop myself, “everyone seems to believe I’ll just fall back into Karl’s arms.


    There’s nothing between us. And besides, if I do decide to end things with Adam, I want to be single for


    a while. I don’t need to jump from one rtionship to another.”


    Leah’s voice is soft when she responds, a hint of hurt evident. “Okay, Abby. I was just looking out for


    you. You know how we all feel about him.”


    Guilt washes over me. I didn’t mean to snap. “I’m sorry, Leah,” I say, exhaustion from the night


    weighing on me. “It’s just... it’s been a lot.”


    Leah chuckles, the warmth returning to her voice. “I know, Abby. It’s okay. Want me toe over?”


    A genuine smile tugs at my lips. “How about one of our weekly tea dates? With Chloe too? I’ve missed


    those.”


    “You, me, Chloe, and an avnche of pastries?” Leah teases. “It’s a date. I’ll set it up.”


    Gratitude fills me. “Thanks, Leah. It means a lot.”


    The call ends, leaving me wrapped in my own thoughts once again. With a sigh, I decide to make my


    way to the bar for onest drink before heading home.


    …


    The fading ambient lighting casts long, delicate shadows across the bar, wrapping everything in an


    almost ethereal, intimate shroud. There’s a sense of stillness, like the world has paused just for me. I


    sit alone at the sleek mahogany counter, cradling a half-filled ss of white wine, its crisp scent


    providing a faintfort.


    Soft jazz music filters through the speakers, a mncholy tune that matches my mood perfectly. The


    chairs have been turned up on the tables, the floor recently mopped, and a faint aroma of citrus cleaner


    still hangs in the air. The setting is pristine, almost picture-perfect, but it feels hollow tonight. Like an


    exquisitely crafted scene missing its central character.


    The memories ofst night still haunt me. Adam’s biting words, the tension between us, the


    unanswered questions. It feels like a chasm has formed overnight, swallowing the joy andfort our


    rtionship once held.


    Distracted by my tumultuous thoughts, I hardly notice the tap on my shoulder until the sensation


    bes more persistent. I turn, and for a split second, everything else fades away.


    “Adam.”


    His familiar eyes, usually so warm and inviting, look heavy with emotion. There’s a weight to his


    presence, a palpable tension that immediately sets me on edge. The bar’s ambient lighting creates a


    soft halo around him, but it does little to alleviate the storm of emotions brewing within me.


    “What are you doing here?” The surprise in my voice is unmistakable, the hurt even more so.


    “I needed to see you, Abby,” he says, carefully taking the seat next to me. The space between us feels


    charged, as if a single spark could ignite an explosion.


    I take a moment, sipping my wine to gather my thoughts. The cool liquid does little to temper the heat


    of my emotions. “I don''t know if tonight’s the best time, Adam.”


    He sighs, his fingers drumming nervously on the bar. “I know, afterst night... but there’s something I


    need to tell you.”


    I feel the world around me blur. His voice, usually so confident and assured, now trembles with


    uncertainty. The dim bar, with its plush red booths and ornate mirrors, seems to close in on me. The


    distant murmur of the city outside is drowned by the beating of my heart.


    “Adam, if this is aboutst night, I—”


    He cuts me off with a shake of his head. “No, it’s not just about that. I’ve been... untruthful with you, and


    I need toe clean.”


    A cold dread seeps through me, chilling my spine. The wine in my ss suddenly tastes too sharp, too


    bitter. I push it away. “Untruthful? What do you mean?”


    He swallows hard, his gaze darting around the room as if searching for the right words. “It’s something I


    should’ve told you a long time ago, but I was afraid.”


    The weight of his deration presses down on me, and my mind races. What could he possibly be


    hiding? An affair? A secret life? My head fills with a whirlwind of possibilities, each more terrifying than


    thest.


    “Talk to me, Adam. What’s going on?” My voice is more desperate than I’d like to admit.


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    He takes a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment as if gathering strength. When they open again,


    they’re filled with a raw vulnerability that I’ve rarely seen.


    “I haven’t been honest about... certain aspects of my life. Things I’ve done, decisions I’ve made.”


    The atmosphere in the bar feels stifling, the soft jazz tune that was onceforting now grating against


    my ears. My fingers grip the counter tightly, knuckles whitening. Every part of me braces for what’s to


    I can see the struggle in his eyes, the weight of his guilt and fear tangibly pressing down on him. Each


    second of silence between us feels like an hour, amplifying the tension.


    Finally, I force the words out, the question that’s been burning in my mind since the moment he walked


    in.


    “Adam… Are you cheating on me?”