Chapter 7 No.7

7

The restaurant Irving had chosen was trendy, loud, and dimly lit-the kind of place where people went to be seen, not to eat.

Hali sat across from him, her hands folded in her lap. Irving was pouring wine from a bottle that cost more than her rent.

"To us," he said, flashing his perfect, practiced smile. "And to your big break."

Hali didn't touch her glass. She smelled the air. Underneath the scent of garlic and wine, she caught a whiff of something floral on him.

Chanel No. 5.

She knew that scent. It was heavy, powdery, and classic. It was also Lia's signature scent. Lia, who sat three desks away from her. Lia, who claimed to be her best friend.

"So," Hali said, keeping her voice steady. "What's the plan for S-Country?"

Irving took a sip of wine. "Well, I was thinking I might head out a few days early. Meet with some fabric suppliers. You can join me when the main delegation arrives."

A few days early.

Hali smiled. It didn't reach her eyes. "Sounds busy."

She excused herself to the restroom. Once inside the stall, she pulled out her phone. Her fingers flew across the screen.

Hey Lia! Irving is stuck at work late tonight, so I'm bored. Want to grab a movie?

She waited. One minute. Two.

Her phone buzzed.

Ugh, I wish! I'm literally dying. Cramps from hell. I'm in bed with a heating pad. Raincheck?

Hali stared at the screen. Lia's period was at the beginning of the month. It was the 24th.

She walked back to the table. She placed her phone face up on the white tablecloth, right next to the bread basket.

"I hope Lia is okay," Hali said innocently. "She said she's sick."

Irving didn't look up from his menu. "Oh? That's too bad."

Just then, Hali's phone lit up with a notification. She had set it to display message previews.

Lia: (Image Attachment) Miss you!

At the exact same second, Irving's phone, which was face down on the table, vibrated.

Irving glanced at it. He checked his watch.

"Actually, babe," he said, looking a little flushed. "I totally forgot, I have a conference call with the Tokyo team in thirty minutes. I might need to cut this short."

Hali watched him. The lie was so smooth, so easy.

"Of course," she said. "Work first."

They didn't order dinner. Irving walked her to the curb and hailed her an Uber. He kissed her cheek-it felt dry and impersonal-and put her in the car.

"Head to Brooklyn," he told the driver.

Then he turned and walked briskly down the street.

Hali watched him go. "Driver, wait," she said.

She watched Irving hail a taxi. He got in.

Hali pulled out her phone. Months ago, she had synced her phone with Irving's laptop to transfer some photos, and she had enabled "Find My iPhone" on a whim, thinking it would be funny to see where he was. She had never checked it. Until now.

She opened the app. The blue dot representing Irving was moving.

It wasn't going to his apartment in Tribeca. It was heading to the Upper East Side. To 84th Street.

Lia's apartment.

Hali watched the dot stop right in front of Lia's building.

She didn't cry. She thought she would, but she didn't. She just felt cold. A deep, bone-chilling cold. Three years. Three years of supporting him, of editing his portfolios, of listening to his ego. And he was sleeping with her best friend.

"Driver," she said softly. "Take me home."

The ride to Brooklyn felt like a funeral procession. When she got to her apartment, she saw the bouquet of flowers Irving had sent her yesterday-a "sorry I missed you" gesture-sitting by her door. They were wilted.

She kicked them aside.

Her phone buzzed.

E.G.: Home safe?

Hali stared at the message. The sheer audacity of this man. He was stalking her. He was controlling her.

And yet, he was the only person checking on her.

She didn't reply. She sent a sticker. A sad, wet kitten sitting in the rain.

Three seconds later, a reply came.

Open your door.

Hali froze. She ran to the door and looked through the peephole.

Standing in the dimly lit hallway of her shabby apartment building, looking completely out of place in a black trench coat, was Ezra Gardner.

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