Alice gripped her phone tightly, her hands trembling with anger. «What do you even know about love? Three months of restaurants and flowers, and then you vanished like it meant nothing!»
«I never promised you forever,» Daniel replied, his calm voice only fueling her frustration. «We had fun. Thats all it was.»
«Fun?» Alice exhaled sharply, fighting to steady her voice. «Brilliant. Just brilliant. You know what? Ill come round tomorrow to collect my things. Then youll never have to see me again.»
«Tomorrow wont work. Ive got plans.»
«What plans? Another gullible girl to charm?»
«Alice, dont start. Im busy until evening. Come after eight.»
«No. Ill be there at noon. I dont care about your plans. Itll take ten minutes, and then you can carry on with your perfect little life.»
She hung up before he could reply and threw her phone onto the sofa, burying her face in her hands. The tears shed held back all week finally spilled over. Why did this keep happening? Why did she always fall for men who treated her like a passing distraction?
A soft knock at the door.
«Alice, love, are you alright?» Her mother peeked in, holding a steaming cup of tea.
«Fine,» Alice muttered, wiping her cheeks. «Just tired.»
Her mum set the tea down and sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. «I heard. Daniel again?»
Alice nodded, unable to speak.
«Sweetheart, how much longer? Four months pining over a man who doesnt value you.»
«Im not pining,» Alice snapped. «I just want my things back so I can move on.»
«Whats left there? A few books? A jumper?»
«My favourite perfume, two blouses, and Grans photo album. I cant just leave them.»
Her mum sighed, stroking her hair. «Shall I go? Or Emily?»
At the mention of her older sister, Alice scowled. «Dont drag Emily into this! Were not speaking right now.»
«Goodness, what now?»
«Nothing. She just thinks she knows best. Said Daniel was a waste of time. Bet shes thrilled she was right!»
«She only wants whats best for you,» her mother said gently.
Alice shook her head. Emily had always been perfecttop grades, a first-class degree, a successful career, the perfect husband. Easy for her to give advice from her pedestal. Meanwhile, Alice, at thirty-two, had a broken heart, a rented flat, and a job she hated.
«Ill get my things myself,» she said firmly. «And close this chapter.»
The next morning, Alice woke with a pounding headache. Shed tossed and turned all night, dreading the confrontation. Determined to look flawlesslet him regret losing hershe applied careful makeup, slipped into a new dress, and stepped into her highest heels.
As the cab wound through familiar streets, she rehearsed her speech. Cold. Composed. No tears, no accusations. Grab her things, walk away with her head high.
Daniels building was quiet. The lift carried her to the seventh floor, her heart hammering as she approached his door. One deep breath, then she rang the bell.
Silence. No answer. Had he left after all? She pressed again, holding it longer. Footsteps. She straightened, ready.
The door opened. Alice froze.
Emily stood thereher sister. In a dressing gown, hair damp, eyes wide with shock.
«Alice? Whatwhat are you doing here?»
«What am I doing here?» Alice choked out. «What are you doing here? In my exs flat. In a dressing gown.»
Emily rubbed her face. «Its not what you»
«Who is it, Em?» Daniel appeared, buttoning his shirt. He stopped short at the sight of Alice, annoyance flickering across his face. «Oh. You. I said after eight.»
Alices gaze darted between them. Something inside her shattered.
«You youre together? My sister and my ex?»
Emily stepped forward. «Alice, lets talk. Not here. Somewhere»
«Talk? About what? How youve been laughing behind my back?» Nausea rose in her throat. «How long? Were you seeing him while we were still together?»
Daniel sighed, crossing his arms. «Nothing happened while we were dating. Emily and I met after»
«By chance?» Alice laughed bitterly. «A *chance* encounter in bed?»
«Stop,» Emily said sharply. «Youve got it all wrong.»
«How *should* I take it?» Alices voice rose. «Explain it to me! How do I process my sister in a dressing gown in the home of a man I»
She couldnt finish. Spinning on her heel, she fled to the lift, stabbing the button.
«Alice, wait!» Emily chased after her, clutching the gown. «Let me explain!»
«Dont touch me!» Alice recoiled. «I saw everything. Whats left to explain?»
The lift doors closed on Emilys stricken face and Daniels hand on her shoulder.
Outside, sunlight mocked her turmoil. She stumbled down the street, blind to her surroundings. Her phone buzzed incessantlyEmily, no doubt. She ignored it.
In a café, she ordered coffee she wouldnt drink, just to sit somewhere before she collapsed. Her hands shook violently.
The waitress eyed her pale face. «You alright, love?»
«Fine. Just bad sleep.»
Left alone, Alice stared into the cup. How? Emilyperfect, principled Emilylectured her on choosing men wisely. And now with *Daniel*?
Her phone rang again. Mum this time. She answered reluctantly.
«Alice? Whats happened? Emily called in tears»
«What did she say?» Alice interrupted.
«That youd had a misunderstanding. That it wasnt what you thought»
«Misunderstanding?» Alice nearly shouted. «I found my sister in Daniels flat in a dressing gown! What *misunderstanding*?»
Silence.
«Mum?»
«I Emily said she was helping you.»
«Helping?» Alice barked a laugh. «How?»
«I dont know the details. She begged you to listen.»
Alice hung up and switched off her phone. She paid for the untouched coffee and left.
Home was unbearableMum would be waiting, ready to mediate. Or worse, Emily. She went to her best friend Sophies, the one whod warned her about Daniel from the start.
Sophie hugged her tightly. «Oh, love, you look awful. What happened?»
Through tears, Alice recounted it all. Sophie listened, shaking her head.
«I cant believe it,» Alice finished. «Emilyshes always been so *proper*. And now *this*?»
Sophie stirred her tea thoughtfully. «Maybe there *is* another explanation. Doesnt sound like Emily.»
«Youre taking her side? I *saw* them!»
«Im not on any side. Just hear her out. If its what you think, you can cut ties. But what if its not?»
Alice stayed the night, still unable to face her family. In the morning, she turned on her phonedozens of missed calls from Emily, a few from Mum, and one text from Daniel:
*Alice, youve misunderstood. Emily was helping you. Let her explain.*
She deleted it. What lie had they concocted?
Emily arrived at Sophies that evening, pale and red-eyed. «Please,» she begged. «Just listen.»
Alice folded her arms. «Talk.»
«Im not with Daniel. Never have been.»
«Then why were you there? In a dressing gown?»
«*Your* dressing gown.» Emily swallowed. «The silk one from your birthday. You left it at his place.»
Alice rememberedblue with embroidered birds. A gift from colleagues.
«And the shower?»
Emily looked down. «He spilled coffee on me.»
«What?»
«I went to talk to him last nightafter you told Mum you were collecting your things. I wanted to understand why he hurt you.»
«Why?» Alice snapped.
«Because youre my sister. I saw your pain.» Emily took a shaky breath. «When I arrived, he didnt want to let me in. I insisted. We talked in the kitchen. He said you werent right for each other, that he wasnt ready»
«And?»
«Then I said Id take your thingsso you wouldnt have to see him. He agreed, but when we went to gather them, he knocked over his coffee. It went all over me.»
Alice stared.
«I didnt stay the night! He lent me your dressing gown while my clothes dried. Id just showered when you arrived.»
«And Daniel? Why was he half-dressed?»
«Hed just woken up. Said hed slept badly.»
Alice leaned back. The story was absurdbut also plausible. Emily had never lied to her.
«You expect me to believe this?»
«I know how it looked,» Emily whispered. «But its true. Id never betray you.»
She pulled a bag from her purse. «Your things. Perfume, blouses, the album. And the dressing gown.»
Alice studied her sisters faceraw, earnest. The anger ebbed.
«Why didnt you tell me you were going?»
«Because youd refuse. Youre too proud to admit youre hurting. I wanted to spare you.»
Alices throat tightened. All this time, shed assumed the worst.
«I dont know what to say.»
«Say you believe me,» Emily pleaded. «Because its true.»
Alice hesitated, then nodded. The fight drained out of her.
«Why didnt you explain straight away?»
«I tried! You ran off.»
It was true. Alice remembered Emily calling after her. Shed chosen the easiest, cruelest assumption.
«Sorry,» she murmured. «I shouldve listened.»
Emily burst into tears. Alice hugged her tightly.
Later, over tea, Emily admitted her own strugglesher near-divorce last year, the loneliness shed hidden. «No ones perfect,» she said softly.
Alice smiled wryly. Shed gone to collect her things from an ex and found something far more valuablea deeper bond with her sister.
Perhaps that was the lesson in all this pain: to cherish what truly mattered.
