I pushed open the door.
Lilith was clinging to him, her lips brushing his.
Caleb’s face went pale. “Sabrina—wait—it’s not what it looks like. She’s drunk. I didn’t want to hurt her by shoving her off.”
I let out a cold laugh. “You’re a grown man, Caleb. You couldn’t manage to push her off?”
He flinched like I’d slapped him.
Just as he finally shoved Lilith away, clearly trying to explain, she let out a scream.
“Ow! My ankle… I think it’s twisted…”
Caleb hesitated, his brows pinching together in guilt. “Damn. I—I didn’t mean to push that hard. I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
There it was again. With Lilith around, my emotions were always forced to come second.
I said nothing more. Just turned and walked away.
He moved like he wanted to follow, but Lilith tugged on his sleeve—and he stayed.
That night, Caleb never came home. I didn’t even bother wondering where he was.
The next morning, I went straight to the training center and handed in my resignation.
This place—this building where I’d spent countless sleepless nights by Caleb’s side—where I watched him bleed and blister, where he clawed his way back to the top—now felt like a tomb.
“You’re really leaving?” one of my teammates asked, eyebrows knit with disbelief.
“Yeah,” I said quietly. “Seven years is long enough. Time for me to stop.”
“Does Caleb know?”
“I’ll tell him.” I offered a small, empty smile.
After I submitted the paperwork to administration, I stepped outside and exhaled, like I’d finally put down a weight I’d carried for years.
But just as I reached the exit, Lilith blocked my path.
“Leaving already?” she asked sweetly. “Here to watch Caleb train?”
“Move.” I wasn’t in the mood.
“Aww, don’t go just yet.” She lifted a training air gun and twirled it in her hand like a toy. “Want me to teach you how to use this? It’s actually fun. You’ve been with Caleb for years, right? Funny how you still don’t know how to use the thing he loves most.”
“I’m not interested,” I said flatly, trying to step around her.
But she slid right back in front of me, grinning like a child with a secret.
“Come on, don’t be boring. How are you two supposed to have anything in common if you don’t even get his world?” She leaned in, voice laced with venom. “Face it—you and Caleb were never a match. I’m the one who truly gets him. I’m the one who loves him.”
I stared at her, my voice dry. “Men always seem better when you steal them, huh?”
That hit a nerve. Her smile faltered, but only for a second.
“Well,” she huffed, “I didn’t say that. But Caleb did. Every time we’re together, he says you don’t understand him. That you’re old-fashioned. Boring.”
“You know Lilith, I think it’s better just shut up because then you’ll sound less dumb.”
She only smiled wider. “Angry now, are you? Then just take the gun. See how our worlds feel like.” She shoved it toward me.
I instinctively stepped back. But…
Bang!
The gun went off with a sharp crack, the sound slicing through the air like a whip. The echo made my heart stop.
Lilith shrieked. The gun fell from her hands. A red welt was rising on her skin.
Luckily, it had been unloaded. Just a misfire. If it had been a live round… her hand might’ve been ruined.
I stood frozen, ears ringing.
Across the training center, Caleb came running like the building was on fire.
“Lilith! What happened?!”
He skidded to a stop beside her. The second he saw the red mark on her skin, his face drained of all color.
“Caleb…” Lilith whimpered, grabbing his arm, tears spilling like she’d rehearsed them. “I just wanted to show Sabrina how to use the gun… But she to grab it and I—I lost my grip…”
“You shoved it at me!” I snapped. “You fired that thing!”
“Sabrina!” Caleb barked, turning to me, rage flashing in his eyes like lightning. “How long are you going to keep this up?!”
