Chapter 3

Three Months Later Julian checked his reflection in his car's rearview mirror, running a hand through his carefully styled hair. The small bouquet of roses lay on the passenger seat – Ava's favorite flowers, though he'd once bought the same kind for Chloe. He pushed that thought away. Chloe was the past. Ava was his present. "Today's the day," he told his reflection. "No more games." His phone buzzed. Another ignored call from his mother. "Not now, Mom," he muttered. He knew what she'd say. The same thing she'd been saying for months. "You broke that poor girl's heart." "Karma comes back around, Julian." "That Ava woman is trouble." The luxury apartment complex loomed before him, its glass windows reflecting the afternoon Miami sun. He hadn't announced his visit – he wanted to surprise Ava. Things had been different lately. She'd been distant, canceling plans, taking longer to reply to his texts. Last week at dinner, he'd tried to talk about it. "You seem distracted," he'd said. "Just work stress," she'd replied, not looking up from her phone. "We barely see each other anymore." "Don't be clingy, Julian. It's not attractive." The security guard waved him through – he'd been here often enough to be recognized. "Mr. Walker," the guard nodded. "Haven't seen you around much lately." "Been busy." "Miss Martinez has had a lot of visitors these days." Julian frowned. "What do you mean?" "Oh, nothing." The guard looked away. "Have a good day, sir." In the elevator, Julian rehearsed what he'd say. "I miss you. Let's spend the weekend together. I've been thinking..." His phone buzzed again. A text from his best friend, Mike. "Don't do it, man. She's not worth it." Delete. The elevator dinged at the twelfth floor. As he walked down the hallway, he heard music coming from Ava's apartment. Something slow, sensual. He smiled, reaching for his spare key. The door opened quietly. The roses felt heavy in his hand. "Ava?" he called out. "Baby, I brought you something—" The moan that answered wasn't meant for him. "Right there, Richard," Ava's voice purred. "Just like that." Julian stood frozen in the entrance to Ava's bedroom. The roses slipped from his fingers, scattering red petals across the white carpet like drops of blood. There was Ava, naked and wrapped around a man Julian had never seen before. A man who was definitely not him. "What the fuck?" The words tore from his throat. Ava's head snapped up, her eyes widening for a fraction of a second before settling into something else – amusement. She didn't even try to cover herself. "Julian," she purred, sitting up slowly. "You should have called first." "I thought I'd surprise you." "Oh, honey." She laughed. "Surprise." The stranger – tall, muscular, wearing an expensive watch that probably cost more than Julian's monthly salary – smirked. "This the guy?" "Mhmm," Ava reached for her silk robe. "The one I told you about." "The boyfriend?" "The entertainment." Julian's hands shook. "The one you told him about? What is that supposed to mean?" "Oh, honey." Ava's laugh was sharp as broken glass. "Did you think you were special? The only one?" "We've been together for months." "Together?" She scoffed. "Is that what you think this was?" The stranger stood up, completely unashamed of his nakedness. "I'll give you two a moment. Thanks for the fun, Ava. Call me when you're done with..." He gestured at Julian. "Whatever this is." "Don't go far, Richard," Ava called after him. "I'm not finished with you yet." Julian watched him gather his clothes, unable to move, unable to speak. This couldn't be happening. Not again. Not to him. "How long?" he finally managed, the same question Chloe had asked him three months ago. The irony wasn't lost on him. Ava lit a cigarette, blowing smoke towards the ceiling. "With Richard? About a month. But there have been others." "Others?" "Marcus on Tuesdays." "Stop." "David on weekends." "Please." "Sometimes both." "You're lying." "Why would I lie?" She smiled. "The truth hurts so much more." Ava stood up, letting her robe fall open. "And let's talk about money, shall we? When was the last time you took me somewhere really nice? Bought me something worthy of a woman like me?" "I maxed out my cards for you." "That's the saddest part." "I gave you everything I could." "Everything you could isn't everything I want." Ava's smile was cruel. "Did you really think someone like me would be satisfied with someone like you? Middle management Julian, with his modest apartment and his Honda Civic?" "At least I was faithful." She laughed. "Faithful? To me? Or to Chloe?" The name hit him like a slap. "Don't." "Why not? You seemed pretty satisfied when you were helping me cheat on her." "That was different." "Was it?" Ava's eyes glittered. "Sweet, boring Chloe. At least she had the sense to walk away with dignity. You should try it sometime." Julian's vision blurred with tears he refused to let fall. "You're a fucking snake." "And you're a cheater who got cheated on. Karma's a bitch, isn't she?" Ava crushed her cigarette in a crystal ashtray. "Now get out of my apartment. Richard's coming back in an hour, and I need to shower. You understand." "I loved you." "No, you loved the idea of me. The fantasy." She stretched lazily. "Reality's a bit harder to swallow, isn't it?" Julian stood there, surrounded by scattered rose petals, watching as Ava walked to her bathroom without a backward glance. The sound of running water filled the silence. He looked around the bedroom – at the rumpled sheets, the empty champagne bottles, the expensive male cologne on the dresser that had never been his. How many others had there been? How many times had he been the fool? His phone buzzed. His mother again. This time, he answered. "Julian?" Her voice was soft. "Are you okay?" "No, Mom." His voice cracked. "I'm not." As he walked out, he caught his reflection in Ava's full-length mirror. He barely recognized himself. This wasn't the man he used to be. This wasn't even the man who'd betrayed Chloe. This was someone else entirely – someone broken, humiliated, destroyed. In the elevator, his phone buzzed. A text from Ava: "Don't forget to leave your key. And Julian? Thanks for the roses. Richard loves when I get flowers." He deleted the message. Then he deleted her number. Another text came through. From an unknown number. "Karma's a funny thing, isn't it?" He knew who it was from. He could almost hear Chloe's voice.