Chapter 6
Three seconds later, a thousand bucks hit my account.
I laughed, satisfied. “Just called my mom. Family rule–we can’t live together before the wedding. You should start looking for a place and move out ASAP.”
We’d shared this apartment for over two years. Rent wasn’t cheap.
Deke hesitated, then had the audacity to press against the door. “Babe, how about you move back home instead? I’m comfortable here, and it’s convenient for work.”
Unreal.
I’d covered rent alone for six months–just paid for the next quarter, too. And he thought I should leave?
How shameless?
My voice was firm. “No way—unless you pay me back for the last six months’ rent.‘
***
Knowing he had no leg to stand on, Deke packed up and moved out the next day.
For a while, he barely contacted me.
Then he called, claiming he had a business trip in another city.
Like hell he did. But I played along.
Before hanging up, I even threw in a sweet little incentive. “Deke, my mom said once you’re back, she’ll transfer the money to us.”
His voice lit up instantly. “Babe, as soon as I finish work, I’ll go with you to visit your
mom!”
I didn’t respond. Just ended the call.
1/3
Chapter 6
That night, a friend request popped up.
Anita.
I hadn’t even gone after her yet, and here she was, marching in first.
The moment I accepted, she started spamming.
[Just so you know, Deke and I are already legally married.]
[If you stay with him, you’re destroying our marriage. That’s illegal.]
The actual boyfriend–stealer acting like I was the problem.
I kept it casual.
[Oh? Is that so?]
[Deke just asked me to marry him. Is he trying to commit fraud?]
[Maybe I should call the cops.]
She snapped back instantly.
a
[Zoey, you’re the one interfering! And now you’re blaming my husband?]
[Stay away from him. Don’t see him again!]
Unreal. I had never interfered in anyone’s relationship.
Deke was the one who went crawling back to her–how was that my problem?
And now she had the audacity to call me the other woman?
I stayed calm.
[Didn’t you see? I already made him pack up and leave.]
[If you want him, take him. I couldn’t care less.]
+25 Bonus
2/3
Chapter 6
The story I fed Deke,to get him out was total nonsense.
+25 Bonus
Now that he was gone, it felt like peeling off a stubborn leech–relief didn’t even cover it.
Deke still hadn’t realized I’d already dumped him.
Meanwhile, he was probably running to Anita, scrambling to get her on board with his act.
But would she really play along?
Her next message came fast.
[I’m quitting my job and coming back in a few days. I won’t let you off!]
Ah. So Deke had already confessed something.
The real question–had he told her everything?
If cracks were forming between them, that just made my job easier.
Not interesting at all