Ethan heard laughter before he reached the door, and it slowed him down without him meaning to. His steps faltered as the sound slipped through the thin space between the door and the frame.
It came from inside the room. Not loud, not hidden. Just there, easy and careless, like it belonged. He stopped walking entirely, hand hovering near the handle, listening again, holding his breath, hoping it would stop, hoping he was wrong.
It didn't.
The laughter was soft and familiar, followed by a woman's voice, low, close, comfortable. His stomach dropped so fast it made him dizzy, because he already knew, even though he didn't want to.
It couldn't be Lena, he told himself. She said she was working late. She said she'd come home after. She said not to wait up. She said a lot of things.
He knocked once. No answer. And then the laughter stopped anyway, which somehow felt worse.
Ethan pushed the door open.
The room was quiet now, heavy with it. Lena stood near the bed, already facing him as if she'd expected this. She wore a dress he'd never seen before, hair done, makeup neat. Calm in a way that made his chest tighten.
A man sat on the sofa across the room. Relaxed. One leg crossed, hands loose. He looked like he belonged there more than Ethan ever had.
Ethan opened his mouth. Nothing came out.
"What are you doing here?" Lena asked. Her tone wasn't scared or guilty, just annoyed, like he'd interrupted something.
"You didn't come home," Ethan said finally. His voice sounded distant to his own ears. "You didn't answer my calls."
She shrugged. "I was busy."
He looked at the man, then back at her. "With him?"
The man stood, taller than Ethan, clothes neat and expensive without trying. "I'm Lucas," he said calmly. "You must be the husband."
Ethan didn't look at him. "Lena."
She sighed, already tired of the conversation. "Don't make this harder than it has to be."
"You're cheating on me," Ethan said. Even saying it didn't feel real.
She didn't deny it. "So?" she replied. "Is that supposed to shock me?"
Something cracked in his chest, not all at once, but just enough to hurt every time he breathed.
"We're married," he said.
"For now," she answered without hesitation.
Lucas stepped closer, placing a hand on her shoulder like it belonged there. Ethan hated how natural it looked.
"You should leave," Lucas said. "This is uncomfortable."
"She's my wife," Ethan said, fists clenched.
Lena laughed softly, sharp, quiet. Worse than shouting. "I regret marrying you," she said. "Every day."
Ethan stared at her, waiting for something.. regret, guilt, anything. There was nothing.
"You promised," he said, voice breaking. "You said we'd struggle together."
She looked him over slowly. "You can barely afford rent," she said. "I got tired of pretending that was enough."
"I take care of her," Lucas added.
Lena nodded. "He buys me real things."
Ethan swallowed, throat burning. "I gave you everything I had."
She turned away. "It wasn't enough."
Lucas glanced toward the door. "Security."
They came too fast.
"Please," Ethan said. "Just talk to me."
Hands grabbed his arms. He struggled, but it didn't matter. Lena didn't look back, not once.
The elevator ride down felt stretched and wrong, like time wasn't moving properly.
When the doors opened, they pushed him into the lobby and walked away.
People stared.
Ethan stepped outside into the rain, heavy and cold. His phone buzzed in his hand.
He checked it.
Balance: $14.27.
He laughed once, it was hollow, broken. Then sank to his knees as the rain soaked through his clothes, into his skin.
"I gave you everything," he whispered.
His foot slipped. Pain flashed through his head, then a voice sounded inside him, cold and clear.
[HOST DETECTED]
[SYSTEM INITIALIZING]
A screen burned into his vision.
[SHADOW SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
Then everything went dark.