“That’s enough—you’ve had more than enough for one night.”
Caleb’s voice cut through the chatter, low but firm. He didn’t even notice I had entered. He reached over, gently but assertively plucking the shot glass out of Lilith’s hand. Without a second thought, he tossed the drink back himself.
A chorus of whoops and whistles erupted around him.
So, this was it—an impromptu celebration thrown by the training team. Caleb hadn’t planned to come. He’d promised to stay home with me tonight. But somehow, Lilith had talked him into showing up anyway.
Someone finally noticed me standing there, awkward and quiet in the doorway.
“Oh hey—Sabrina’s here!” one of them blurted, trying too hard to sound casual.
Lilith’s smile froze for half a second before she turned, lips curling like she’d just spotted fresh meat. “Welcome to our little get-together, Sabrina,” she said, her voice sugary sweet, dragging the last word out just a little too long. Her eyes swept over me with a lazy kind of challenge.
I drew a breath, pasted on a polite smile. “Didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“No, no, you’re not!” someone chimed in, a little too enthusiastically. “Come sit! Caleb said he was staying home to be with you, but we dragged him out anyway—sorry about that! You two should sit together.”
Before I could decline, Caleb pulled out the chair beside him. “Sit down,” he said softly.
I could tell he was trying to tread carefully—nervous, even. He knew how I felt about him drinking in public. He was an Olympic gold medalist now—every move scrutinized by the press. I’d warned him time and again: don’t let the tabloids catch you off guard.
In the past, I would’ve scolded him, lectured him quietly but firmly. But tonight, I said nothing. Not a word.
And that silence unsettled him.
I sat beside him, my spine stiff. I hadn’t even caught my breath when Lilith walked over, holding a fresh drink in her hand.
“Let’s have a toast, shall we?” she said, her tone overly friendly.
“I don’t drink,” I replied coldly.
“Oh, don’t be like that,” she said, leaning closer. “You’re already here.”
Her voice dropped to a whisper, just loud enough for me to hear.
“You got the photo I sent, right? Your husband’s incredible in bed. While you were off sobbing over your dead baby, I was moaning under him. Maybe I’ll carry the next one.”
That wound—the baby I lost—was something I didn’t even let myself touch. It lived buried in the darkest part of me. But Lilith had found it. And she ripped it open with glee.
Something in me cracked wide open.
I jerked up, reaching to shove her away, but before I could touch her, she gasped—stumbling backward—spilling her drink dramatically down her blouse.
“What the hell, Sabrina?!” she screeched. “You splashed me?!
“Don’t pin your clumsiness on me!” I snapped, voice rising. “You did that yourself—”
“What the hell is your problem, Sabrina?”
Caleb was on his feet in an instant, his expression thunderous. He stepped in front of Lilith like a shield, glaring at me.
“Lilith didn’t do anything to you! She’s just drunk,—and you splashed drink on her– practically humiliated her in front of everyone! You’re being crazy!”
I froze, my chest caving in.
“I’m crazy?” My voice cracked, laced with disbelief and rising anger. “You really think I’d do something like that for no reason?”
“But you just did,” Caleb snapped. His jaw clenched. “I saw it. We all did.”
He didn’t even try to hide the rage burning in his eyes—or the fact that he automatically positioned himself between us, like I was the threat.
“Why are you always targeting her? She’s just a teammate—my junior, for God’s sake! This kind of behavior is gonna make me—”
“Make you what?” I cut in, my voice shaking.
Caleb stiffened. I saw the sudden hitch in his breathing, but he kept his mouth clamped shut for a moment. Then he let out a slow breath, like he was forcing himself to stay calm.
“Just get a grip, okay? I know you’ve been emotionally fragile since the miscarriage. Lilith and I are just teammates. But you’re acting like some hysterical jealous girlfriend, making a scene in public. It’s—embarrassing.”
I let out a bitter laugh, but it caught in my throat. The weight of disappointment and humiliation crashed down on me like a wave.
“Caleb, that contract you signed a few days ago. It was—”
“Now’s not the time for that, damn it!” he snapped. “You messed up tonight. Just take some damn responsibility for once!”
He didn’t even look at me as he turned and scooped Lilith into his arms.
He carried her out the door.
Silence fell like a curtain. The other athletes exchanged awkward glances.
“Uh… Sabrina,” one of them offered hesitantly. “You might’ve gone a bit far just now. I mean, Lilith’s just his junior, you know?”
“Yeah,” another chimed in. “He’s always been so good to you. Don’t blow it all up over something small.”
“Come on, just go talk to him, apologize. It’s not worth ruining everything.”
I clenched my fists until my nails dug into my palms.
They kept trying to get me to apologize. To calm down. To smooth things over.
I left the room and stepped toward the restrooms.
Then I passed a room with the door slightly ajar.
I heard voices coming from the room—low, intimate.
“Lilith, please don’t cry,” Caleb’s voice was soft, pleading. “It’s killing me to see you like this…”
“Then kiss me,” she whispered. “Just once. And I’ll stop crying…”
There was silence.
Then the sound of a kiss—quiet, unmistakable.
