I caught the quick intake of breath from Caleb, and even as he hastily tried to cover the receiver, it was too late—I had heard enough. A heavy silence fell, broken only by the faint clink of cutlery in the background. For a moment, he seemed frozen, as if realizing he had been caught in a lie.
“It’s fine,” I said softly, almost mechanically. “I can manage on my own.”
I wasn’t sure if I said it to reassure him—or perhaps to convince myself. My chest ached as I muttered the words, pretending they carried weight.
Just as I was about to end the call, his voice called out again, low and insistent. “Valencia… just head home. I’ll explain everything later.”
Explain what? Another string of carefully constructed lies? Another attempt to make me believe in a story that wasn’t true?
I ended the call without another word and arranged for a private driver to take me home. But when night fell, Caleb had still not returned.
I tried to sleep, but the distant hum of the city kept me awake. Through the window, I saw fireworks igniting the night sky, brilliant bursts of color that illuminated the skyline. Probably someone’s romantic gesture, I thought bitterly, my lips curling into a small, sour smile.