Love Died on Valentine's Day novel Chapter 1

Manuela came back three days later. I had just finished the last cigarette in the pack.

She threw open all the windows, grumbling, "It’s not like I skipped out on you for a whole week! You haven't spoken to me in three days. When did you get so petty?"

Seeing I didn’t respond, she snuggled up to me, shaking my hand and acting cute. “The company decided to send me on a business trip at the last minute. What could I do? I can’t disobey my boss just to satisfy your selfishness.”

I extinguished the cigarette in the ashtray and looked at her, smiling wryly. "Business trip? You're not lying to me, are you? You didn’t go out on Valentine's Day with another guy, did you?"

Manuela was speechless for a moment, then retorted, "What are you talking about? I love you so much. How could I betray you? Don’t you trust me? I’m getting mad, Gabriel."

Evan, her boss, is also my friend.

She turned her head away from me.

A signature move, she was used to relying on me to coax her back.

She knew I wouldn't actually call Evan, so she was fearless.

The years of habit almost made me go along with it.

But then I thought about her betraying me with another man in the car I bought for her, and my mind cleared instantly.

I grabbed my phone and pretended to dial. "Alright, I'll give Evan a call."

Manuela turned around, her eyes wide, and snatched my phone, angrily taking the initiative.

"Okay, so you really don’t love me anymore, huh? Just say it. Did you find someone else? You put this cheating label on me so you can feel good about yourself, right? Gabriel, you let me down so much."

I truly couldn't help but laugh.

The clothes she was wearing weren't the ones I saw her in on Valentine’s Day.

She hadn't been home for three days. The only possibility is that she changed clothes at that man’s place. She even went without clothes. They must have been together for three days.

Maybe feeling uncomfortable under my gaze, she pretended to hum, “Don’t ever joke like that again. I'll forgive you this time.”

There were only two simple articles of clothing. I flipped them over a few times and sure enough, there were no underwear.

The sexy lace bra still had the tag on it. It wasn’t the brand Manuela usually wore.

Holding it in my hand, I felt numb.

Manuela screamed and rushed in, snatching the bra away from me.

The panic in her eyes was clear even to my hazy vision.

"I bought this at the place where I was on my business trip. I forgot to take the tag off. I’ll go wash it now.”

She scrambled to explain, hugging all the clothes and rushing out, as if she would be caught if she hesitated for a moment.

I collapsed onto the floor, a silent laugh escaping my lips.