I Came Back for Everything

The car rolled to a smooth stop in front of an apartment building.

Selene's voice turned crisp. "Sixteenth floor. You remember, right? Go up first. We'll talk tonight."

And just like that, I was left on the curb.

Her Maserati shot off, tossing a thin cloud of dust behind it.

I stood there like some stray dog someone forgot to take home.

She didn't come back until three in the morning.

Drunk.

From a distance, she spotted me crouched by the building entrance.

October was brutal during the day, but the nights had already turned cold.

I was still wearing the same short-sleeved shirt from five years ago. Squatting by the door, staring at the lobby chandelier.

Selene frowned. Clearly annoyed.

"Luke, can you stop acting like this? I know I owe you for taking the fall, but do you have to stand here looking half-dead? It's freezing. Why won't you just go upstairs? Or are you putting on this pitiful act to make me feel guilty?"

Her words stuffed my chest like cotton.

I could barely breathe.

After a long moment, I looked at her.

"I don't have the access card. Security wouldn't let me in. I don't have a phone. No money. I could only wait for you. I—"

'I love you' stuck in my throat.

Because I saw the red mark on her neck.

I'm a man.

I knew exactly what that was.

When she heard my explanation, guilt flickered across her face. She pulled a card from her bag and tossed it to me.

"I didn't think about that. Come in with me."

Like charity, she led me inside.

Five years ago, we'd bought this place together. Split the down payment. I was surprised she still lived here.

As we rode upstairs, my chest lifted a little.

We'd picked this unit for our future marriage.

I chose everything—the renovation, the furniture, every tiny detail.

If she was still living here...

Did that mean she still had me in her heart?

That fantasy died the second the door opened.

***

The apartment looked nothing like before.

The Persian rug I'd had someone bring back from overseas was gone. In its place—muted light gray.

The famous paintings were gone too. Now some anime character I didn't even recognize hung on the wall.

The pink plush bedding Selene used to love? Replaced by black-and-white checkers.

Same layout as before I left. Everything else—unrecognizable.

Familiar. But wrong.

I stood there, awkward and silent.

Selene noticed and gave a casual explanation. Almost kind.

"That Persian rug was outdated. Cody swapped it for gray. Said minimalism's the trend now. That's just how he is—always changing things. Can't sit still."

Her expression softened when she mentioned him. She probably didn't even notice.

Like she'd said too much, she added, "Cody's my assistant. You've met him. He's only twenty. Just graduated. Kind of reckless, but interesting."

I noticed something.

Whenever she talked about Cody, the words never ran out.

She looked more alive than when she talked to me.

My chest felt like it had been punched straight through. Still, I didn't dare ask.

'Who is Cody?'

'What are you to him?'

'Why are you so close?'

'And that mark on your neck—did he leave it?'

Each question twisted deeper into my heart.

But what right did I have to ask?

With this ruined body of mine, what future could I give her?

I headed for the bathroom, almost running.

The second the door closed, the tears came down like rain.