After work, Evangeline returned to her apartment as usual, a folder of contacts for businesses in the surrounding counties tucked under her arm. She nned to make a trip the next day to try her luck.


    Preupied with her thoughts, she didn''t immediately notice that someone had been in her apartment. It wasn''t until she walked into the living room to get a ss of water that she heard a faint, rhythmic sounding from the bedroom. A strange, cloying scent hung in the air.


    She froze.


    Tiptoeing to the bedroom door, she pushed it open. The scene inside made her stop dead in her tracks.


    Clothes were scattered across the floor. On her small bed, two bodies were entwined. A woman with long, dark hair sat astride a man, her back to the door. She could see the man''s hands gripping the woman''s waist.


    At the sound of the door opening, the woman turned her head.


    It was Poppy. Her lips were swollen, her face flushed, and a sheen of sweat covered her skin. But when she saw Evangeline, there was no panic in her eyes, only a smug, triumphant smile.


    It was painfully obvious who the man beneath her was.


    Evangeline stood rooted to the spot, her mind aplete nk. A wave of nausea churned in her stomach. Just then, the man let out a low groan. That was it. She couldn''t take it anymore. She spun around and fled.


    But halfway down the hall, she stopped. *Wait a minute. This is my house.* They were doing... *that*... in her house.


    A surge of pure rage washed over her. She marched back to the bedroom and kicked the door wide open.


    "Get out!" she screamed, her voice trembling with fury. "Both of you, get out!"


    The sudden noise jolted Soren from his delirium. He blinked, trying to focus. When he saw Poppy on top of him, a cold sweat broke out all over his body. "What... how?"


    "Evangeline..." he croaked, struggling to sit up. Poppy, feigning panic, pushed him back down and quickly covered them both with the nket. The feel of their bare skin touching sent a jolt of revulsion through him.


    His world came crashing down.


    "Evangeline, I''m so sorry," Poppy said in a low, trembling voice. "We can exin."


    Evangeline could see right through her pathetic act. What was there to exin? This was exactly what Poppy had wanted her to see.


    Fighting the urge to physically throw them out, she said in a voice dripping with ice, "I don''t need your exnation. Get dressed and get the hell out of my apartment."


    She mmed the door and stormed out.


    "Evangeline!"


    She heard Soren call her name from behind, but she didn''t stop. She quickened her pace, but his legs were longer. In just a few strides, he caught up to her, grabbing her from behind and wrapping his arms around her.


    "Evangeline, it''s not what you think," he pleaded, his voice desperate.


    The feel of his touch made her skin crawl. She didn''t care what the truth was. She had epted that they would end up together when she filed for divorce. But to do it in her house, in her bed... After five years of marriage, even if he despised her, he had no right to disgust her like this.


    "Get off me!" she yelled, about to scream for help. But Soren, anticipating her move, mped a hand over her mouth.