My Fake Boyfriend

"So, when are you finally going to break up with her? I'm getting impatient."

"Soon, babe. Just wait until I get my mid-year bonus. You know I need to keep up appearances until then."

The words bled through the slightly ajar bedroom door, freezing Alexis in her tracks. The air left her lungs in a violent rush. Her hand flew to the wall to steady herself, her fingers pressing so hard against the cool drywall that her knuckles turned white.

With a trembling hand, she shoved the door open.

Her entire universe violently collapsed.

The scene that met her eyes burned itself into her retinas like a physical brand. Kevin and Natalie, tangled together on the very bed she and Kevin shared. The sheets were twisted around their half-naked bodies, and Natalie's red dress was pooled carelessly on the floor next to his discarded shirt.

A roaring chaos erupted in Alexis's mind, accompanied by a wave of dizziness so severe she dug her nails into her palms just to stay upright.

How could this be real?

Just three minutes ago, her biggest concern had been not smudging the buttercream frosting on the cake she had spent three hours perfecting. It was Kevin's thirtieth birthday. She had skipped her late-night faculty meeting, tiptoed into their apartment with a chocolate salted caramel cake—his absolute favorite—and a heart full of anticipation. She had imagined his eyes lighting up. She had imagined the easy smile that always made her stomach flutter, even after two years together.

Instead, she had been greeted by the sickly sweet floral perfume of another woman. And then, the red stilettos half-tucked under the entryway console. Shoes she had recognized instantly, because she had helped her best friend, Natalie, pick them out.

Two years of love. A lifetime of friendship. Both slaughtered on a Tuesday night.

The smile she had worn just moments ago shattered, leaving her face numb and cold. The love, the anticipation—it all curdled into a thick, icy sludge in her veins. There were no tears. Just a terrifying, hollow calm.

On the bed, the two figures sprang apart at the sudden intrusion, their faces a comical mask of shock and panic.