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Chapter 12: Uncovering the Truth

Nick had been careful, slipping questions into conversations with the ease of a friendly chat, all while the growing knot of suspicion twisted in his chest. Each answer he received weighed him down further, like stones in his pockets, settling uneasily in his bones.

“Yeah, he’s been with some girl,” one friend had said, casting a cautious glance at Nick. “But no idea who.” The offhand tone didn’t fool him; the weight of unspoken truths hovered like a storm cloud, threatening to break.

Another friend shrugged. “Could just be a friend—or something more.”

A tightening coiled in Nick’s stomach. It felt silly, this sleuthing, but something about Alex’s demeanor had changed. The air around him seemed charged, humming with a hidden satisfaction. Nick couldn’t shake the feeling that Alex was hiding something, that his easygoing smile masked a secret Nick wouldn’t want to know.

Later, he caught Alex alone. Nick tried to sound casual, keeping his tone light and hiding the tension in his shoulders. “So… new girl in your life?” he asked, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Anyone I should know about?”

For just a moment, Alex’s smirk slipped, revealing a flicker of something darker before it reappeared—sharper this time, with an edge Nick hadn’t noticed before. “Just a friend,” he replied, too quickly. “We’re not dating, if that’s what you’re getting at.” A beat passed, and then he added, more softly, “But I think I know what you and Phil are up to.”

Nick’s heart clenched. “What if Lily asked you to get together again?” he ventured, trying to gauge Alex’s reaction.

Alex’s eyes glinted with mischief. “You said to stay away from her. And yeah, she asked, but I said no… how can I go against you?”

Nick swallowed hard, his stomach churning. “You… did the right thing,” he murmured, but the words felt hollow, a feeble shield against the icy bite in Alex’s voice.

“Did I?” Alex stepped closer, his voice dripping with mock sweetness. “You’ve always known best, haven’t you?” His tone sharpened, cutting through the air between them. “But hey—since you’re so curious—something did happen. Just not what you’re hoping for.”

A chill ran down Nick’s spine. He tried to laugh it off, but the sound came out strained and hollow. “Forget I asked.”

Alex’s smirk widened, victorious. “Oh, it’s okay.” He turned, leaving Nick rooted to the spot, the world tilting off-balance. Had he and Phil made a mistake? Had they crossed a line they couldn’t uncross?

What have we done? Nick’s thoughts spiraled. We thought we were helping, but it feels like we’ve just made everything worse. Alex is playing with us, and we’re too blinded by our intentions to see it. If he’s hiding something, how far will he go?

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That evening, Alex met up with the girl again. He leaned back, his fingers tracing small circles on her shoulder as he whispered, “They’re regretting it. Every last second.”

She laughed, a soft, conspiratorial sound that curled around them, igniting a thrill of anticipation in Alex. He looked at her, savoring the flicker of excitement in her eyes. “Let’s go somewhere,” he murmured. “I feel like celebrating.”

---

Across town, Phil paced outside the workshop, rubbing the back of his neck as sweat gathered in his palms. Becca had said Lily would be here, and he’d spent hours rehearsing what to say, how to apologize.

“Hey, Lily… I was wrong…” he muttered under his breath, frustration bubbling as he kicked a loose stone on the ground. “No, that sounds stupid.”

Finally, he spotted her sitting alone, shoulders slumped, fingers twisting in her lap. She looked up as he approached, and the iciness of her gaze sent a sharp pang through him. “What do you want, Phil?” she asked, her voice cool and unwavering.

He swallowed hard, the weight of her disappointment heavy in the air. “Just… a chance to explain.”

Her eyes narrowed, unyielding. “I already know. Becca told me everything. You and Nick—what were you thinking?”

Phil’s breath hitched, guilt settling like lead in his stomach. “Lily… I didn’t want to hurt you.”

A tense silence stretched between them, her expression unreadable. After a moment, she sighed, a flicker of something softening in her eyes before her jaw set again. “Fine. You’ve got a few minutes.”

Phil’s heart thudded, hope stirring faintly. “Thank you,” he whispered, his throat tight. “I’ll make it count.”

---

Before meeting Lily, Phil found Nick waiting outside the workshop, his face drawn, lines of worry etched into his expression.

“How’d it go?” Nick asked, his voice tense.

Phil shrugged, a sliver of hope flickering in his eyes. “She’s hurt. And I get it. But she’s willing to listen.”

Nick let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “I talked to Alex. I don’t think he’s cheating on her.”

Phil’s brow furrowed. “Really?”

“Yeah. He’s meeting this girl, but insists they’re just friends. And when I brought up Lily, he… he enjoyed watching me squirm. Like it was all a game.”

A heavy silence fell over them. Phil clenched his fists, frustration rippling through him. “Maybe we messed up. We thought we were helping, but now…”

Nick’s shoulders slumped. “Now it feels like we’ve just made everything worse.”

Just then, Lily approached, her gaze unwavering, lips set in a firm line. “I’m ready to talk,” she said, her voice steady but cold.

Phil’s pulse quickened as he met her gaze, feeling the weight of her hurt and disappointment. This was their chance to make things right—or to lose her trust forever.

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