My Boyfriend Gave Our Home Access Card To My Best Friend Chapter 05

My Boyfriend Gave Our Home Access Card To My Best Friend Chapter 05

Seven hours later, my flight landed. As soon as my phone connected to Wi-Fi, messages poured in.

Seven hours earlier, Ethan had been at home warming milk for Vanessa when someone from building

management knocked on the door.

“Mr. Cole, we’ve seen what’s happening online. Should we permanently remove Claire Bennett’s access?”

A flash of triumph crossed Vanessa’s eyes. Before she could answer, Ethan frowned.

“No. And correct the registration. Claire Bennett is Mrs. Cole, not Vanessa.”

Vanessa’s smile froze, but Ethan didn’t notice. He was thinking that Claire had been through too much lately.

When she came back, he’d get her a working elevator card, explain things at the office, and make her dinner himself. That would cheer her up. After seven years together, she couldn’t really walk away.

Then the management employee’s phone began buzzing. He read the evidence being shared in the residents’ group chat, and his expression turned openly disgusted.

“So the new posts are true. Ms. Reed, you specifically asked to be listed as Mrs. Cole. You told us Ms. Bennett was just a friend staying here. How can you turn around and accuse her of being the other woman?”

Ethan whipped his head toward her. “You asked them to register you that way?”

Vanessa went pale. “Ethan, I misspoke. I just forgot to have it changed…”

For once, he didn’t believe her. “Did you post that video, too?”

Panicking, she grabbed his hand and burst into tears. “Yes! But if you didn’t want me, why did you pick me up

from work? Why did you give me the elevator card and Claire’s proposal? Why did you choose me every time

we fought?”

Her words hit him like a slap. He stumbled back two steps.

At last, he understood. Every time he’d told himself he was only looking after Vanessa, she’d taken it as

encouragement. As permission.

His phone vibrated again. The company chat was blowing up.

The source files, version history, and overtime records proved beyond question that the proposal belonged to Claire. Message after message condemned him and Vanessa.

Coworker: [I KNEW Claire wouldn’t do that.]

Coworker: [Omg. Vanessa played the victim and went on about twelve years of friendship. Then she stabbed Claire in the back.]

Coworker: [Imagine having to work with someone like that.]

Management: [Ethan Cole and Vanessa Reed: report for an investigative meeting tomorrow morning.]

Ethan barely registered it. The next message was from Claire: her miscarriage report.

[Gestational age: six weeks. Miscarriage.]

He stared at the words, his mind going blank. Six weeks. Claire had been at the hospital for a pregnancy test.

And what had he done? Forced her to apologize to Vanessa. Carried Vanessa away while Claire faced her appointment alone.

Outside the office, Claire had clung to his sleeve and begged for help. “I’m preg-”

He hadn’t let her finish. He’d told her to hold on. He’d promised her food, a home to come back to.

Instead, she’d lain in her own blood while he ate a candlelit dinner with Vanessa.

“No…” His hands shook so badly he could barely hold his phone. “Claire was pregnant? How could we have lost the baby?”

Vanessa tried to move closer. He shoved her away. “Get out.”

“Ethan-”

“I said get out!” His eyes were red, his voice scraped raw. “She wouldn’t have lost the baby if it weren’t for

you!”

Vanessa’s eyes reddened, too. She swept the dishes off the table, sending them crashing to the floor.

“You’re the one who told her to admit she was the other woman! You’re the one who left her there! You killed

that baby!”

He flinched, all the color leaving his face. Then he started calling Claire, over and over.