Five Years, Without Meaning

I sat in the living room, staring at the clock on the wall that kept moving forward. It had been more than three hours since Damien had left me at the restaurant. I'd tried to contact him many times, but my calls were never picked up.

My cell phone lay on the table, the screen repeatedly showing missed calls making my chest feel even tighter. I shouldn't have waited for him. I knew that. Yet, part of me still hoped he would come home with a reasonable explanation.

Just when I was about to give up and go to sleep, the front door opened. I quickly stood up, but my steps stopped when I saw the figure that entered with Damien.

Selene.

She looked weak, leaning against Damien with a pale expression on her face. Her long, flowing hair was a little messy, giving the impression as if she had just had a rough night.

However, that's not what makes my chest tighten. As Damien closed the door and helped her walk in, Selene glanced at me, and there, behind her fragile expression, I saw something different. A smile. Fleeting, small, and triumphant.

I clasped my hands together.

"Damien," I called, trying to remain calm despite my inner voice screaming. "What does this mean?" I asked, waiting for an answer.

Damien looked at me for a moment, before refocusing on Selene. He helped her sit on the sofa carefully as if she was made of glass.

"I can't leave her alone, Thea," he replied in a tone as if it was the most sensible thing in the world. "She's still sick," Damien said again with his eyes on Selene's face.

I pressed my teeth together. "You can take her to the hospital, or have someone look after her. Not bring her here Damien," I said with an unhappy face.

"Althea, I can't leave her alone in this condition," Damien said. His face seemed to say that he liked what I said.

"You even left me alone at the restaurant," I snapped, unable to contain my anger.

Damien let out a long sigh, like someone who was exhausted from an argument that he thought was unnecessary. "This isn't about you and I. This is about Selene needing help."

I laughed sarcastically. "So, what about me? I waited for you for hours, called you countless times, and you didn't even care."

"Don't be selfish, Althea!" he said, raising his tone slightly.

I gasped. Those words were like a slap to my face.

Before I could reply, Selene took a deep breath and tried to get up. "Damien, I shouldn't be here. Althea was right. I'm just inconveniencing you," she said softly with a voice full of resignation.

I knew what she was doing.

Damien immediately restrained her, pressing her shoulders to sit back down. "Don't push yourself."

Selene smiled weakly. "I'm fine... You shouldn't have brought me. If anything happens to me, it's not your responsibility," she said with a face made even sadder.

I looked at her with narrowed eyes. She played her role perfectly.

"Selene," Damien said in an emotional tone. "Don't talk like that. I can't stay silent when I know you're sick."

"Sick?" I snorted. "I don't see her as half-dead, Damien. If she can stand up and talk like that, I'm sure she can go home by herself." I said in an annoyed tone.

"Althea!" Damien's voice raised, making my chest feel even heavier. "Can you stop being so heartless?" he said with a sharp look in his eyes.

I fell silent. Couldn't believe that this was happening.

Selene bit her lip, bowing her head as if feeling guilty. "I... I don't want to be a problem between you guys."

I stifled a laugh. I was almost amazed at how perfectly she played the role of a hurt woman.

Damien shook his head and crouched down in front of Selene, taking her hand gently. "Don't think like that. I just want you to be okay."

My heart sank.

I had been with him for five years. I waited for him, and understood his every excuse and his busy schedule, but not once did he ever look at me with that kind of gaze. The thoughtful gaze he was now giving Selene.

I took a deep breath and turned around. "Do as you please, Damien!"

I didn't care anymore. If I stayed here, I didn't know how long I could survive without breaking.

I walked past them, heading towards my room without turning around.

For the first time in this relationship, I felt like a stranger in my own home.