Katriel replied with a faded smile. "I'm fine. How can I help you?"
"I'm sorry," the man said quickly, his tone apologetic yet warm. "I found your door open and thought I'd say hi since I'm your neighbour next door."
Katriel relaxed a little. The stranger standing before her was tall, dressed casually, but there was something professional and kind about him.
"Oh, that's thoughtful of you," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm Katriel."
"Abby," he replied, extending a hand with an easy smile. "Dr. Abby Fellows, actually. I just moved in yesterday. I'm with City General Hospital -cardiology."
Katriel's expression softened. "A doctor? So am I. Neurology."
Abby chuckled, a spark of surprise lighting his eyes. "No way. Well, it's nice to know I have a fellow doctor next door."
They talked for a while about the hospital's chaotic shifts, the exhaustion that came with saving lives, and the quiet loneliness that sometimes lingered after. Abby was charming, genuine, and funny in a quiet way that made Katriel's heart flutter unexpectedly.
When he finally left, Katriel found herself standing by the door longer than she meant to, the echo of his voice replaying in her mind. She hadn't smiled like that in months. Maybe even years.
She was still lost in thought when her phone buzzed on the coffee table -Incoming WhatsApp video call: Trez.
Katriel froze for a moment before answering. Trez's familiar grin filled the screen.
"Hey, baby," he said, leaning back casually. "Long time, huh?"
"Yeah," Katriel replied quietly. Her tone was calm, but there was a heaviness in her chest. "It's been a while."
"You sound distant," he teased. "Everything okay?"
Katriel took a slow breath. "Depends. I need to ask you something."
Trez frowned. "Okay… what's wrong?"
"Who is Mellisa?" she asked bluntly.
He blinked. "Mellisa?"
"Yes. A woman from Turkey. She messaged me yesterday said she's your girlfriend."
The silence that followed was deafening. Katriel could see the flicker of panic in his eyes before he tried to mask it.
"She was my girlfriend," Trez said after a pause. "We broke up months ago. I swear I didn't think she'd contact you."
Katriel's jaw tightened. "Trez, we've been together for two years. I thought I knew everything about you. How could you have another girlfriend all that time?"
He exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. "Kat, you know it was hard. We were long-distance, and things just… got complicated. But I ended it before it went too far."
"Complicated?" she repeated, her voice breaking slightly. "You were telling me you loved me, planning to visit, and at the same time, you were with her?"
"Kat, please—"
"No, Trez." Her tone was calm now, but cold. "She told me everything. The trips, the calls, even the photos. She wasn't lying."
Trez looked away, guilt written all over his face.
Katriel stared at the screen for a moment longer before quietly saying, "I deserve better than this," and ended the call.
She sat in silence, her chest heavy. The apartment felt colder than before until she remembered Abby's smile earlier that day. Something about his presence had felt grounding, genuine. Maybe, just maybe, she was finally about to step out of the shadow of a love that had already died.