After Uncovering His Affair with Her Sister

The blue light of my laptop screen cast eerie shadows across my darkened apartment as I scrolled mindlessly through various websites. It was nearly midnight, and insomnia had become my unwelcome companion since Logan and I had entered the long-distance phase of our relationship. Three states apart, with him finishing his degree while I built my business empire—it wasn't ideal, but we'd made it work for two years.

I clicked on a link that redirected me to an adult content site I'd never visited before. My finger hovered over the keyboard, ready to close it immediately, but something caught my eye. A familiar tattoo.

My breath caught in my throat as I leaned closer to the screen, squinting at the image of a shirtless man with his face obscured by shadow. But there was no mistaking that tattoo—the intricate phoenix rising from flames on his left shoulder blade. The same one Logan had gotten on his twenty-first birthday, when I'd surprised him with a weekend getaway to celebrate.

"Logan?" I whispered, my voice trembling in the empty room.

I clicked on the image to enlarge it, and my stomach lurched. There was the watch I'd given him for his birthday—the limited edition Tag Heuer with the custom engraving on the back. "To my forever," it read. A sentiment that now felt like acid burning in my chest.

The listing was explicit: "College jock looking for extra cash. Check my other listings for more." I scrolled through the images, each one more intimate than the last. My hands shook as I navigated through the site, finding three different listings featuring Logan's body—always with his face obscured but his distinctive tattoo prominently displayed.

"What the hell is this?" I muttered, scrolling frantically through the comments section.

"Great body, bro. When's the next shoot?"

"Those abs are sick. You should model professionally."

"This dude knows how to work the camera. More please!"

Each comment was a knife twisting deeper. I slammed my laptop closed and paced my apartment, trying to calm my racing thoughts. This had to be some kind of mistake. Maybe someone who looked like Logan? But that watch—I'd saved for months to buy it.

After twenty minutes of pacing, I reopened my laptop with a new search strategy. If Logan was selling intimate photos, what else might he be selling?

I navigated to a popular secondhand marketplace and typed in the brand name of the leather jacket I'd bought him last Christmas. The limited edition Harley Davidson jacket had cost me $2,500—a splurge that had made me feel guilty for weeks afterward.

The first result made my blood run cold.

"Gently used Harley Davidson limited edition leather jacket. Worn twice. $800 OBO."

The photos showed the jacket draped over what looked like a dorm room chair. I recognized the backdrop immediately—the Star Wars poster Logan had taped to his wall freshman year. The seller's username was "LoganW1998."

My fingers flew across the keyboard, searching for other gifts I'd given him. The Ray-Ban sunglasses I'd surprised him with after his wisdom teeth surgery. The Apple Watch that had replaced his old one when it broke. The gaming console I'd ordered special delivery when he mentioned missing playing with his roommates.

All listed for sale. All at bargain prices. All photographed in his dorm room.

I sat back, numb with shock. The total value of these gifts was over $10,000—money I'd worked overtime to earn, money I'd been proud to spend on someone I loved.

"You son of a bitch," I whispered, tears welling in my eyes.

I grabbed my phone and dialed Logan's number before I could stop myself. Three rings, then his sleepy voice answered.

"Tash? Everything okay? It's late here."

"I sent your watch for repair last week," I lied smoothly, my heart pounding. "The jeweler called saying they couldn't fix the damage. What happened to it?"

There was a brief pause—so brief anyone else might have missed it.

"Oh, that," Logan said, his voice suddenly more alert. "Yeah, I dropped it in the gym. The back cracked. I took it to this place near campus—they said they could fix it for cheap. It's already as good as new."

I navigated to the listing I'd found earlier. The watch was still available for purchase, listed at $1,200—half its original price.

"That's great," I said, forcing brightness into my voice while my mind raced. "I was worried you'd be upset. It was an expensive gift."

"Nah, don't worry about it," Logan replied casually. "I know you've got my back, babe."

The pet name made my skin crawl now.

"I should let you sleep," I said. "Big day tomorrow?"

"Yeah, midterms coming up. Gotta crush these exams so I can graduate and finally be with you full time."

More lies. All of it lies.

"I love you," he added before hanging up.

I stared at my phone, then back at my laptop screen where his naked body was still displayed for strangers to bid on. The watch he claimed to have repaired was still listed for sale, its engraving visible in the product photos.

"To my forever," it mocked me.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The pain was there, raw and throbbing, but something else was building beneath it—something cold and calculating that demanded satisfaction.

If Logan thought he could play me for a fool, he was about to learn just how wrong he was.