“Ethan,” Lilian says quietly, “security is at the door.”
As the shouting grows clearer I know who it is. A woman’s voice that furious and oh so familiar to me. Sarah.
“I know he’s in there!”
My hands grip the counter. Security voices murmur urgently which is then followed by silence. I stand inplace while Ethan walks calmly to the door. Lilian looks at me with sympathy as the door flies open and Sarah storms in like a wildfire.
Her hair is tangled. Her coat half-buttoned. Her eyes blaze straight through the room until they find me and her face contorts into disgust.
“You lying piece of shit.”
Security hovers behind her, apologizing to Ethan.
“I’m sorry, sir, she refused to leave…”
“It’s fine,” Ethan says calmly, gesturing them away. Security hesitates to leave at first, but they finally retreat, leaving us with a crazed Sarah.
Out of nowhere, Sarah’s laugh is hysterical.
“So this is where you’ve been,” she snarls. “Living like a whore in his glass tower.”
“I don’t understand the problem. We’re finished, and you left” I say, which is true.
“Don’t,” she snaps. “Don’t pretend you’re confused. You always were weak,” she says before she turns to Ethan.
“So this is your charity case? Stealing married men now?” she accuses as Ethan smiles faintly and my stomach buckles at his look.
“No,” he says. “I’ve collected what you abandoned.” Oh no. This is not good, but I don’t know what to say. We’re over and this is Ethan’s home.
“He’s deceitful, you know,” she spits at him. “He always was. Quiet little liar,” she snarls and that has my back up.
“Hey, I’m not deceitful. You’re part of this shitshow,Sarah. You wanted money and you’ve got it. But you know we’ve been over for a while now. Stop acting like you are innocent in all this,” I say, but she just laughs at me.
“I’m not the liar here. You fucking wanted Ethan, it was hardly difficult to persuade you. Gay boy.”
“Tell him the truth,” Ethan says quietly and I notice the comment is directed at Sarah. She straightens her posture and the room tips on the side. A feeling of when you know tragedy is about to strike. I look over at Lilian who is standing in the kitchen, wrapped up in the unfolding drama.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sarah says, crossing her arms defensively.
“Oh, you do,” Ethan replies mildly, and then he turns to me.
“Did you know she never told her co-workers she was married?”
I blink, letting that statement sink in. I’ve never met her work colleagues or even been to her place of work. She always told me she wanted to keep work and home separate.
“What?”
“At the coffee shop,” Ethan continues. “You don’t exist.”
Sarah’s mouth opens, then closes, refusing to look at me and pretending to be fascinated with something on the floor.
“She told them she was single,” Ethan says. “Available. Activelylooking.”
My ears ring.
“Sarah?” I ask, needing to hear the truth.
“They didn’t need to know, it’s none of their business,” she snaps.
