The escape.
That told him Ryan knew exactly how wrong the situation was.
Around eight, Ethan finally opened Hannah’s messages.
Most were apologies.
Please come home.
Nothing happened beyond the kiss.
I swear.
I know I destroyed your trust.
Please let me explain everything.
The final message was different.
You deserve the entire truth, even if it ends us.
Ethan stared at that one for a long time.
He called her.
Hannah answered immediately.
“Ethan?”
“Talk.”
She inhaled shakily.
Hannah explained that Ryan had been messaging her for several months.
At first casually.
Memes.
Questions about Ethan.
Comments about work.
Then the messages became personal.
Ryan listened when Hannah complained.
He remembered things Ethan forgot.
Hannah insisted she never considered it romantic.
Until she did.
“Did you flirt with him?”
Silence.
“Hannah.”
“Yes.”
Ethan closed his eyes.
“Did you delete messages?”
“Yes.”
That hurt more than he expected.
Because deletion required awareness.
She knew.
“When?”
“A month ago.”
“So last night wasn’t the first betrayal.”
Hannah began crying.
“No.”
That admission changed everything.
The physical kiss had happened once.
The dishonesty had been happening much longer.
“Why was he there?”
“I was upset after our call.”
“Which call?”
“The one where you said you were staying another night.”
Ethan almost laughed.
“My father’s roof was damaged.”
“I know.”
“You made it sound like I was avoiding you.”
“I felt abandoned.”
“So you invited him over.”
“Yes.”