Page 123 of Symphony for Lies

I turned to leave, but Zane caught my wrist.

“Amelia. Talk to me.”

“There’s nothing to talk about. It’s over. Leave me alone.” My voice was so cold even I barely recognized it.

He looked devastated. For a moment, we just stood there, staring at each other.

“Is this about Tristan? Did you save me just so you could get him out? Is that why you’re breaking up with me?” His voice was so serious.

A hollow laugh escaped me.Then another and another until I was laughing so hard I had to clutch my stomach.

Zane just stared, his eyes burning with ridiculous jealousy.

When I finally calmed, I yanked my wrist from his grip. “That’s right, Zane. I risked my damn life to help Tristan. That probably still sounds better than being an unwitting home wrecker.”

Zane’s brow furrowed. At first, he looked confused, but then he sighed in realization.“This is about Ella, isn’t it?”

The way he said her name sent a violent wave of rage crashing through me.

“I told you, don’t believe rumors.”

He reached for me. But I stepped back.

Two full steps. Two whole arms lengths of distance.

Finally, he understood.

His brows knitted together, and his shoulders fell slightly.

“I will never be the other woman,” I stated firmly.

His hands curled into fists. “There never was another. It was always you. Only you. No one else could ever take your place.” His voice was desperate.

“Then you should’ve told me.”

His lips pressed into a thin line.“Amelia, I didn’t care about it because it meant nothing to me.” His body was strung tight with tension. “My mother planned everything behind my back. Without my consent. This is not something I agreed to.”

I didn’t budge, not really caring about any excuse he could give.

“I didn’t want to burden you with my problems because—”

“And you think this is better?”

Zane blinked, caught off guard. “What?”

“You think this is better?” I repeated, my voice eerily calm.

“No! I thought I could fix it without you ever knowing.”

I chuckled dryly. “And if I never found out? Would it have just… never happened?”

“If I had told you, you never would have been with me in the first place.”

I felt a piece of me crack in half.“So, you took that risk.”

His silence was answer enough.

I inhaled deeply, tilting my head toward the night sky before looking back at him.“Zane, I lost two of my jobs. Someone even tried to bribe my boss at the clinic to fire me, too.”