Stranger ROWAN “Do you remember all those nights I cried to you?” Kelvin slowly lowered his head reluctantly as if even that much acknowledgment cost him something.
“I’d come to you after every competition because Jae had stolen my research again.” My voice stayed low.
“How he used my work to take the award that should have been mine.
And you… you were fucking—” I stopped, the word catching in my throat.
I forced it out anyway.
“You were under that blanket with him.
You were deep inside of him.
And I cried to you.
Not once.
Not twice.
I told you how he kept taking my work.
And every single time you looked at me with those soft eyes and said, ‘~Don’t worry, Rowan.
Karma will come for him.'” My voice cracked on the last word.
“So this…” I gestured between him and Jae.
“…was your version of karma?
Your idea of karma was bending him over, right?
Of all people… him?
Why?
Why did you have to do that to me?” My hands were clenched so tight my nails dug into my palms.
Kelvin’s face went pale.
He held up both hands like a man trying to surrender.
“I swear it’s not my fault!!
It’s the work of the devil!” For a second I just stared at him.
The words were so absurd they almost didn’t register.
Then I burst into laughter.
“You cheated on me…” I laughed harder, “…and somehow the person you’re blaming is the devil?” I wiped my tears with the back of my hand, still laughing through them.
“The poor devil is somewhere minding his own business, and you’ve dragged him into your mess.
Did Satan personally climb into your bed, open your legs, and say, ‘Go on, Kelvin, fuck Rowan’s rival for me’?
You’re not even original with your excuses.
Next you’ll tell me the devil also helped you pick the condom size.” Kelvin shook his head fast, looking desperate.
“I swear.
I didn’t know it would lead to that.
I invited him over to tell him… to warn him not to steal your research again.
It was all a mistake.” I stared at him like he had grown a second head.
Then I laughed again.
His lies kept triggering it.
“A mistake?
Is that really the best you’ve got?” I took a step closer.
“So let me get this straight.
You invited the man who has been stealing my work into your house to warn him about stealing my research, right?
And somehow your dick just slipped into him by accident?
Did you trip and fall on top of him with your pants already off?
Was the warning supposed to happen while you were balls-deep inside him?” His mouth opened.
Then closed again.
No sound came out.
A slow clap suddenly echoed from the bed.
It was Jae.
A lazy smile spread across his face as he leaned back against the headboard, completely unbothered by the wreckage around him.
“You really should stop lying.” Kelvin’s head whipped toward him.
“Jae…” “What?” Jae shrugged.
“He deserves the truth.” My eyes moved between the two of.
“What truth?” Jae looked straight at me.
His gaze was steady.
“This isn’t the first time.” Kelvin’s face turned completely white.
“Shut up.” The word came out like a thunderclap, but Jae didn’t flinch.
He ignored him completely.
“It isn’t even the tenth.” Jae leaned further back, completely at ease.
“And since we’re finally being honest…” He smiled, and the expression was almost gentle.
“Who do you think gave me all those research files you kept accusing me of stealing?” I frowned.
The words landed slowly, one by one.
“What are you talking about?” He laughed softly.
“Rowan.
How exactly do you think I stole files from your laptop?
I never had access to it.” His eyes slowly shifted toward Kelvin.
“But he did.” My heart stopped.
I slowly turned to look at Kelvin.
The room seemed to tilt for a second.
“Is it true…?” My voice was barely above a whisper.
“Tell me he’s lying, Kelvin.” Even though every piece of the puzzle had already fallen into place, a small, stubborn part of me still wanted him to deny it.
Still wanted the world to make sense again.
Kelvin shook his head so hard it looked painful.
“No, baby.
It’s not true.
I swear on my life, Rowan.
He’s lying.” I stared at him for a long moment.
The silence stretched.
Then I smiled.
“You know what’s funny?” I looked him straight in the eyes.
“You got caught red-handed.
Yet you’re still lying.” I slowly shook my head.
“If you can lie this easily after being caught… I wonder how many lies you’ve told me when I wasn’t around to catch you.” My voice dropped lower.
“So those years… the years I spent loving you.
They were all built on lies?
On cheating?
On betrayal?” Kelvin lowered his head..
“I’m sorry.” “No.” I shook my head.
“You’re only sorry because I found out.” He suddenly climbed off the bed and started walking toward me..
Instinctively I took a step back and pointed my finger at him.
“If you take one more step…” My voice came out cold.
“…I’ll make sure today becomes the worst day of your life.” Kelvin froze mid-step.
“I don’t ever want to see you again.” The words left me one after another.
“I don’t want your calls.
I don’t want your messages.
I don’t want your apologies.
I don’t want you.” Kelvin’s eyes widened.
“…Are you breaking up with me?” I looked at him..
“I hope the two of you are happy together.” My eyes drifted toward Jae.
He was still watching, that same lazy smile lingering at the corners of his mouth.
“Congratulations.
I hope it was worth it.” Without waiting for a reply, I turned around.
The bedroom door felt farther away than it should have.
“Rowan!” Kelvin called after me.
“Baby, please!
I can explain!” His voice followed me all the way down the stairs and to the front door.
I never looked back.
— By the time I got into my car, I couldn’t see the road clearly anymore.
The tears wouldn’t stop.
I gripped the steering wheel so tightly my fingers ached.
I wanted to scream.
I wanted to punch something until my knuckles split.
I wanted to wake up from whatever nightmare this was.
Instead, I just drove.
I didn’t even know where I was going at first.
I only knew I needed to put distance between myself and that house.
“You liar…” I slammed my palm against the steering wheel.
The impact stung, but it wasn’t enough.
“I wasted years loving you.” The words came out between broken breaths.
“I trusted you with everything.
And you…” I laughed bitterly.
“You were handing my research to the one person who wanted to destroy me.
In exchange for sex?” I couldn’t keep driving.
My vision was too blurred with tears, and my hands were shaking too badly to keep them steady on the wheel.
I pulled over to the side of the road and stopped.
The engine idled as I sat there, staring blankly through the windshield.
I didn’t know where home was anymore.
Going back to my apartment meant sitting alone with the silence and the memories.
I couldn’t do that.
My gaze drifted toward the bright city lights in the distance—an exclusive club nested among the hotels.
Perfect.
If I couldn’t erase today, maybe I could drown it.
I started the engine again and drove straight there.
—— —— Minutes later, I pushed open the heavy doors of the hotel’s exclusive bar.
Soft music filled the room.
Warm light pooled along the polished wood of the counter.
A few people sat in the far booths, talking quietly.
I went straight to the counter and dropped onto one of the stools.
“Give me the strongest liquor you’ve got,” I told the bartender.
“And keep them coming.” The bartender raised an eyebrow, assessing me with the quiet professionalism of someone who had seen every kind of bad day.
“Tough day?” “You have no idea.” A glass was placed in front of me, the liquid catching the light.
I picked it up.
“Here’s to…” I paused, searching for the right words and finding only the blunt ones.
“…being single.” I let out a dry laugh.
“And here’s to never being stupid enough to fall in love again.” I emptied the glass in one gulp.
It burned all the way down.
“Another.” The bartender poured without comment.
I lifted the second glass.
“Cheers to focusing on myself from now on.” Just as the rim of the glass touched my lips, someone took it from my hand.
Before I could react, the stranger calmly drank every last drop.
I blinked.
“…Excuse me?” I turned, ready to curse whoever had the audacity to steal my drink.
The words died in my throat.
Standing beside me was a man who looked like he had stepped straight off the cover of a luxury magazine.
He was clearly older than me—maybe by a decade, maybe a little more.
His dark hair was neatly styled.
His sharp features softened into the smallest smile as he set the empty glass back on the counter.
For one ridiculous second, I forgot how angry I was.
Seriously, Rowan?
You get your heart broken a few hours ago, and now you’re admiring another man’s face?
Get yourself together.
“You look like you could use someone to talk to,” he said.
His voice was low and calm in the middle of my chaos.
I quickly cleared my throat and looked away, focusing on the rows of bottles behind the bar.
“I’m not interested.” “Not even in a free drink?” “No.” I kept my gaze fixed forward.
“I don’t need someone to talk to.
And even if I did, it wouldn’t be a stran—” He cut me off before I could finish.
“Would you follow me to my penthouse to talk more about it?”