Elise POV:
Krystal was draped over Elias, her arms wrapped around his neck, her head resting on his shoulder. He held her close, steadying her as she swayed slightly, adjusting her position in his arms with a tender care he hadn't shown me in months.
"Baby, what were you thinking, coming up to the apartment like that?" Elias's voice was a low murmur, a playful scolding mixed with undiluted adoration. "You know you can't be so reckless. What if Elise had seen you?"
Krystal pouted, her lips swollen from recent kisses. She tightened her grip on him. "But I missed you, Daddy! And I was so clever, pretending to be the delivery girl. She would never have known!" She giggled, a childish, infuriating sound. "She's so clueless, right? So boring."
Elias chuckled, flicking her nose playfully. "You're a naughty little thing, aren't you? So clever. But don't do it again, okay? You know how important it is to keep our secret safe." He kissed her forehead. "I'll do anything for you, baby. Anything you want. But Elise finding out is the one line we cannot cross. It would ruin everything."
Krystal whined, sticking out her bottom lip. "But you always change your clothes after you see me! Are you really that in love with her? Do you even love Elise at all?"
Elias paused, his gaze distant for a beat. Then he sighed, a sound I knew well, a sound of feigned resignation. "Of course I love Elise," he said, his voice soft, almost convincing. "I can't let her find out. I can't hurt her."
"What about me, then?" Krystal pressed, her voice demanding.
He pulled her closer, burying his face in her hair. "You, my little peach, are my favorite distraction. My special secret. Besides Elise, you're the one I care for the most." He kissed her then, a long, deep kiss that made my breath catch in my throat.
He scooped her into his arms, carrying her towards his sleek black car. He opened the passenger door, gently placing her inside. He leaned in, whispering something I couldn't hear, but her delighted giggle was loud enough. He closed the door, walked around to the driver's side, and got in.
Moments later, the car began to rock.
I leaned back against a cold concrete pillar in the underground parking garage, slowly sliding down until I was sitting on the grimy floor. My heart was a shattered mess in my chest, but no sound came out. No tears fell. There was just an unbearable, crushing weight.
I didn't know how long I sat there, numb, emptied. Eventually, the rocking stopped. The engine roared to life, and Elias's car sped out of the garage, leaving me in the echoing silence.
My fingers, strangely steady, found Hermina Rivera's number in my call log. It was the number she'd given me years ago, "just in case." I had never called. Until now.
I pressed dial.
"Mrs. Rivera," I said, my voice a hollow whisper, watching the empty space where his car had been. "I'm ready to take your money. I'm ready to leave him." My voice was flat, devoid of emotion, yet it carried a weight that surprised even me.
