Chapter 123

Chapter 123
Tricia took it upon herself to find out the truth.
She didn't tell me a thing. Not a word. But I could feel something was changing in her. She was quieter around Donald. Her eyes would follow him across the room. She'd go silent whenever he entered, and sometimes, she'd excuse herself just to avoid being alone with him.
She was suspicious. Dead serious suspicious.

She was convinced Donald had something to do with the video and the text I received.
She believed he was behind it all.
She believed he did it to keep me away from Jayden... so he could have me all to himself.

At first, it sounded crazy-even to her-but the more she watched him, the more her gut told her she was right.
And when she caught him with a second phone-the one he always made sure to hide when someone walked in her suspicion became rage.

But instead of confronting him right away, she watched. She waited.
She followed him quietly, tried to find out who he was calling, who he was texting, what he was hiding.
She knew it. Deep down, she just knew it.

And that suspicion... that fire burning in her chest...
It was about to explode.

That evening, with her hands trembling and her heart pounding, Tricia slipped into Donald's bedroom.
She paused by the door, listening for footsteps. Silence.
She took a deep breath and quietly locked the door.

Her eyes swept across the room, searching. She knelt by the drawers and pulled one open. Nothing.
She opened the next one, flipped through files, socks, old chargers. Still nothing.
She opened the third drawer and froze.
There it was.

A phone box. Sleek. Black. Dustless.
It hadn't been there long.

Tricia's lips parted in a grin. Her heart thudded wildly as she lifted the lid.
Inside, Donald's old phone lay like a sleeping secret.

"Found it," she whispered, her hands shaking as she picked it up.
She stood there for a second, staring at it, breathing heavy.

"I knew it. I freaking knew it. You've been lying to us all."

Without a second thought, she stormed out of the room, the box in her hand like a weapon.
She spotted him in the courtyard, legs crossed, sipping wine like a man with nothing to hide.

Her steps were quick, fierce. The grass crunched beneath her feet.

"DONALD!" she yelled.

He flinched, spilling a little wine on his shirt.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Tricia?! Why are you screaming like a mad woman?"

"Oh, don't even try me right now! I swear, I'll scream your name however I want, Mister Diego Donald Duke!"

His eyes widened. His nostrils flared.

"How the hell do you know that name?! Who told you that name?! You're not allowed to say that!"

"I don't care what I'm allowed to say! You said you didn't need help winning Monalisa's love, huh?! But look who went crawling in the shadows like a rat!"

"What are you blabbing about now?" he snapped, rising to his feet.

"Blabbing? Don't you dare. You know exactly what I'm talking about, you lying bastard!"

"No, I don't! You've lost your mind, clearly! Now if you'd excuse me...."

"Oh no, you're not walking away from this! Not this time!"

"What the hell is your problem?!"

"YOU are my problem! You faked a damn video! You sent a message to Mona just to make Jayden look like a monster. You wanted her broken, lost, vulnerable. And then what? You swoop in like some fake savior?!"

Donald's face darkened. "You're insane."

"I've got proof," Tricia growled, pulling out the phone box. "This! This is your second phone, isn't it? Who were you texting from this one? Who were you pretending to be? Huh?!"

At that moment, I stepped out of the kitchen. I had been arranging fruits in the fridge when I caught a glimpse of them through the window Tricia, yelling, waving something in the air, and Donald, standing like he was ready to explode.

Something wasn't right.

I dropped the fruits and rushed out. "What's going on here?!"

"Nothing," Donald said, forcing a tight smile. "She's just spewing nonsense."

"No, I'm not," Tricia snapped, turning to me with fiery eyes. "Mona, I've got something to tell you. Something you need to hear."

I looked at her, confused. My heart started racing. "Tell me."

She walked toward me and shoved the box into my hands. "Donald is behind the video. And the text. This is proof. He has two phones. He's been playing us all."

I stared down at the box, then at Donald. "No... Tricia, that can't be true."

"It is. Look at him. Let him deny it. Let him tell us why he needs a second phone. I dare him."

My hands trembled as I turned to Donald. My chest was rising and falling fast. "Donald? Is it true?"

He looked at me. Just looked. No words. No denial.
Nothing.

I stepped back. "Say something. Please... tell me this isn't what it looks like."

Still... nothing.

"Donald?!" my voice cracked. "Say something!"

He looked away. Tightened his jaw. Swallowed hard. But he said nothing.

Tricia's arms were crossed, eyes locked on him like a hawk. "That silence speaks louder than anything. You can't even lie your way out of this."

I shook my head, the weight of the truth crashing down on me like a wave. "You were supposed to protect me... not break me even more."

Donald opened his mouth, but still no words came. Just a blank, pained stare.

I knew he is innocent but Tricia believes he's not
He turned away.