33.The Storm and the Paper
Bella's POV:
The next day at the office was like stepping into a storm I wasn't prepared for. Whispers floated around, barely concealed behind hushed voices and side glances. The topic? William and Olivia. I spotted them walking together, Olivia's arm casually looped through his as they made their way to his office. My heart lurched, a cold realization settling over me like a dark cloud.
Olivia.
I remembered her now, the girl from the party. She had seemed so insignificant at the time, but now the pieces started to fall into place. How William had asked about her, subtly, as if it was nothing more than idle curiosity. How had I not seen it? I was so blinded by whatever I thought was between us that I didn't even notice the real story unfolding right in front of me.
I felt like such a fool.
The whispers grew louder in my head, even though no one was speaking directly to me. It was all too clear now—William and Olivia had been together all along. And me? I had been nothing more than a distraction, a momentary amusement to pass the time. Every glance, every touch, every word he had said to me was suddenly tainted with the bitter sting of betrayal.
I felt used. Worse than that—I felt humiliated.
As they disappeared into his office, I couldn't stand it anymore. The walls of the office felt like they were closing in, suffocating me with the weight of my own naivety. I couldn't let them see me like this, couldn't let the tears that burned behind my eyes betray my pain.
So, I ran.
I ran home, barely holding back the sobs that threatened to escape. The moment I closed the door behind me, the floodgates opened. I collapsed onto the couch, tears streaming down my face as I cried harder than I ever had before. The weight of my heartbreak, the betrayal, the sheer disbelief—it all crashed down on me at once, suffocating me.
I had been so stupid to think there was something real between us. Every memory, every moment replayed in my head, now painted with the ugly truth. I had been nothing to him. Just a distraction, something to fill the void between him and Olivia.
The thought of it made me sick.
I cried until I had no more tears left, until I was completely spent. And still, the hurt didn't go away. It sat there, lodged deep in my chest, a constant reminder of how easily I had been played.
The day passed in a blur of pain and tears, and all I could do was hope that, eventually, this agony would fade. But for now, it consumed me, and I wasn't sure when I'd be able to breathe again without feeling that unbearable ache.
The next morning, I forced myself out of bed, though the weight in my chest made every movement feel heavy. I went through the motions, brewing coffee, making breakfast, all while feeling like I was still stuck in yesterday's nightmare. I needed a distraction—anything to pull me out of my own head for a while.
I picked up the newspaper, flipping through the pages absentmindedly. But then, my eyes landed on the headline, and my heart sank.
"Hot Couple Back Together: William and Olivia Reignite Romance."
There it was. Right in front of me, in black and white, for the whole world to see.
How did I not know?
I stared at the picture of them, smiling for the cameras, looking perfect together. Olivia, with her flawless beauty, leaning into William, who looked like he belonged next to her—confident, powerful, and unreachable. My stomach twisted as I skimmed the article, detailing their long history, their breakups and reconciliations, and how they had always found their way back to each other.
How did I miss this? How did I not know about Olivia, about their past? But then, the truth hit me. I never paid attention to William, never cared to learn anything beyond the surface because I had never seen him as someone who mattered in my life. He was just a coworker, my rival, nothing more.
I had always been my own person, keeping my distance, living in my own world. I didn't follow office gossip, didn't care about the private lives of the people around me—especially not William's. Why would I? We weren't close. We barely tolerated each other.
But now, I wished I had known. Maybe then I would have been more guarded, more careful with my heart. Maybe I wouldn't have allowed myself to be swept up in whatever fleeting connection I thought we had.
It hurt so much more because I had never seen it coming.
The coffee sat untouched beside me as I folded the paper, pushing it away like it could somehow erase the truth I'd just read. William and Olivia—of course. They were the perfect pair, and I was nothing more than a fool caught in between whatever history they had.
I had been so blind, so stupid. And now, all I could do was live with the knowledge that I had never really mattered.
Tessa's POV:
I couldn't stop thinking about Bella. She had been distant, quieter than usual, and while she said she was fine, I knew better. I knew my best friend, and I could see through the walls she tried to put up. Something had happened between her and William, something big. She wasn't herself, and it was starting to worry me.
After a bit of digging—okay, a lot of digging—I stumbled across what I hoped might give me some clarity. William and Olivia. Apparently, they had been an item for two years before they broke up. Two years! And now, the gossip rags were buzzing with news of their reunion. But there wasn't much more than that—just vague whispers of a rekindled romance.
It didn't make sense. If William and Olivia had gotten back together, why didn't Bella know? Why hadn't I known? I racked my brain trying to piece it together, but something was off.
Then, a thought hit me like a ton of bricks: Evan. He lived right next door, and he was William's friend. More importantly, he and Bella were acquaintances—platonic and barely even that, but still. If anyone could help me figure this out, it would be him.
I groaned. The last thing I wanted to do was talk to Evan. He was cold, robotic, always distant. It wasn't that he was rude—no, far from it. He was just... emotionless, like he had a switch for human interaction that he rarely turned on. We were neighbors, but we never really talked. He didn't seem to care much for small talk or pleasantries, and our conversations, when they happened, were always short and to the point. But for Bella, I was willing to tolerate him. I had to do something.
So, with more hesitation than I cared to admit, I found myself standing outside Evan's door, knocking softly. The door opened almost immediately, as if he had been expecting someone.
"Tessa." His voice was flat, as usual, and his face gave nothing away. No warmth, no curiosity—just a neutral, almost mechanical expression.
"Evan." I tried to muster some enthusiasm, but it fell flat. "Do you have a minute?"
He stepped aside, gesturing for me to come in, but his movements were as stiff as ever. I walked inside, taking in the sparse, neat apartment. It was exactly what I expected—clean, orderly, not a thing out of place. It screamed of control, discipline. And coldness.
"So, what brings you here?" he asked, his tone almost making it sound like he was fulfilling an obligation rather than genuinely curious. He didn't sit down, just stood there, arms crossed, waiting for me to speak.
"I need to ask you something," I began, already feeling awkward. "It's about William and Olivia."
His brow barely lifted. "William and Olivia?" he repeated, his voice as flat as ever. "What about them?"
I hesitated, wondering how to phrase it without sounding too nosy. "I'm worried about Bella," I said finally. "She's been... off. And I found out that William and Olivia had a thing. They were together for two years, but I didn't know they were back together until recently. Do you know anything about that?"
Evan's gaze shifted, but only slightly. He looked at me for a moment, as if calculating how much to say. "William and Olivia were seriously committed," he said, his tone devoid of emotion. "It wasn't just some casual fling. They dated for two years. But then, something happened, and they broke up. That's all I know."
"And you don't know if they've gotten back together?" I pressed, hoping for more information.
"I didn't even know they had," he replied, his voice still flat. "This is news to me."
I sighed. I shouldn't have expected much from him, but I had hoped he would know more. Still, I couldn't help but ask. "So, you have no idea what's going on between them now?"
He shook his head, his expression unchanged. "No. I don't keep track of William's personal life."
Great, I thought. Not only was this conversation going nowhere, but it was also starting to feel like pulling teeth. Evan's responses were as dry as I expected, and he clearly wasn't the type to gossip.
"I see," I said, feeling the conversation hit a dead end. "Well, thanks for the information."
Evan simply nodded, his eyes scanning the room like he had something more important to get back to. I stood there awkwardly for a moment, not sure what to say next. The silence stretched between us, thick and uncomfortable.
"You're worried about Bella," he said suddenly, breaking the silence. His tone hadn't changed, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes. "She's a good person. I understand your concern."
It was the closest thing to a genuine sentiment I'd ever heard from him.
"Yes," I said softly, surprised by the shift. "I just... want to help her."
Evan nodded again, his face unreadable. "I don't know much about William's relationship with Olivia," he said, his tone returning to its usual flatness. "But whatever's going on, Bella will get through it. She's strong."
I couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of relief at his words. Even if Evan wasn't the warmest person, he understood Bella in some small way. And that was enough for now.
"Thanks, Evan," I said, genuinely meaning it this time.
He gave a curt nod, clearly ready for the conversation to end. "You're welcome."
Not wanting to prolong the awkwardness, I thanked him once more and headed for the door. As I walked back to my own apartment, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was still off. But at least now, I had a little more clarity—William and Olivia had been serious, and Evan didn't seem to know anything about their supposed reunion.
Whatever was going on, I needed to get to the bottom of it—for Bella's sake. But for now, I was done talking to Mr. Robot.
Bella's POV:
Tessa had barely waited two seconds before bombarding me with what I already knew. "Bella, you won't believe it! William and Olivia—they were together for two years! I just found out, and—"
I cut her off with a small smile, trying to keep the heaviness in my chest hidden. "I know, Tess. It was in the newspaper this morning."
Her expression softened with concern, but I could tell she was trying to gauge how much to say next. "Oh... I guess you already knew then. I just—"
I quickly jumped in before she could finish, not wanting to dwell on the topic. "I appreciate you checking in. Really. Thanks for being worried about me." I offered her the most reassuring smile I could manage, though it felt strained.
Tessa gave me a tentative look, unsure whether to push further. But I could see her mind working—she knew me well enough to know that I didn't want to talk about it, at least not now.
"I heard you even went and talked to Evan about it?" I raised an eyebrow, trying to shift the conversation to something lighter. "You actually talked to him? I thought you said he was so robotic he creeped you out!"
Tessa chuckled nervously, clearly glad for the change in topic. "Yeah, I did. I wasn't exactly thrilled about it, but... you know, for you, I had to."
I laughed lightly, more out of habit than humor. "I find it funny that you actually went through with it. Didn't you once joke that Evan was probably a serial killer? You were so sure his cold, emotionless demeanor was a front for something."
Tessa smiled, rolling her eyes as she sat down across from me. "I still think he might be. Have you seen the way he looks at people? It's like he's analyzing them, figuring out their weaknesses or something."
I leaned in, playing along with the joke. "Well, if anyone's surviving an attack from him, it's you. You're too unpredictable. He wouldn't know what to do with all that clumsy energy."
Tessa groaned. "Speaking of which, he actually called me childish the other day. Can you believe that? Me? Childish?"
"Clumsy *and* childish," I added with a smirk. "He's definitely got you pegged."
We both laughed, and for a moment, I felt a flicker of normalcy. I was trying—really trying—to keep things light, to steer the conversation away from the mess that was William and Olivia.
Tessa, bless her, saw through it, but she didn't push. She let me have this moment of pretending everything was fine.
As the conversation trailed off, I felt a small sense of relief. I didn't have to explain the heartbreak or the confusion swirling inside me. For now, it was enough that Tessa was here, making me laugh when I thought I couldn't.
She didn't push, and for that, I was grateful.