Chapter 7: The Man Who Knew About Me Before I Knew Him
For a moment, I thought Emma was going to explain.
I waited.
I gave her the chance.
But she just sat there, staring at the table like the answer was written in the wood grain.
“Emma.””
She looked up.
Her eyes were filled with fear.
Not guilt.
Not sadness.
Fear.
“What does that mean?””
She swallowed.
“Ryan knew about you.””
I frowned.
“I didn’t know Ryan existed until today.””
“I know.””
“Then how could he know me?””
Emma looked away.
“Because Lauren told him.””
The room went silent.
I felt like I was trying to put together pieces of a puzzle where someone had hidden half the pieces.
“Why would Lauren tell my existence to your ex-boyfriend?””
Emma didn’t answer.
And that was becoming the most painful part.
Every question led to another silence.
Every silence revealed something worse.
“Emma.””
She took a shaky breath.
“Because Ryan contacted Lauren after we started dating.””
“Why?””
“I don’t know.””
“That’s not true.””
She looked at me.
“What?””
“You do know.””
Her lips parted slightly.
Then closed.
I stood up.
“I’m not asking because I want to fight. I’m asking because I need the truth.””
Emma wiped her eyes.
“Ryan wanted to talk to me.””
“About what?””
“About getting back together.””
I stared at her.
After everything he did?
After cheating?
After leaving her with debt?
“He wanted you back?””
“Yes.””
“And Lauren told him about me?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Emma looked down.
“Because she thought I was making a mistake.””
I laughed quietly.
“A mistake?””
“She thought I moved on too quickly.””
I shook my head.
“So she introduced your ex-boyfriend back into your life?””
“No.””
“She gave him information about me.””
“She didn’t know what would happen.””
“Emma.””
My voice became sharper.
“She gave another man details about your boyfriend.””
“I know.””
“No. I don’t think you do.””
I walked toward the window.
The street outside looked normal.
People walking.
Cars passing.
Neighbors living ordinary lives.
Meanwhile, my relationship was falling apart because of conversations happening behind my back.
“What did Ryan know about me?””
Emma hesitated.
“Your name.””
“That’s not all.””
“No.””
“What else?””
She closed her eyes.
“He knew where you worked.””
My stomach tightened.
“How?””
“Lauren.””
“Anything else?””
Emma didn’t answer.
I turned around.
“Anything else?””
“He knew you bought a house.””
I stared at her.
A cold feeling spread through me.
“How would he know that?””
Emma whispered:
“Because Lauren told him.””
I sat back down.
This was no longer about a jealous friend.
This was something else.
Something darker.
“Why would Ryan care that I owned a house?””
Emma looked at the floor.
“Because he was angry.””
“At me?””
“No.””
“At what?””
“At me.””
I waited.
She continued.
“When Ryan came back, he found out I was happy.””
I almost smiled.
“Happy with me.””
“Yes.””
“And he didn’t like that.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“So Lauren told him about me because she thought you were making a mistake. Ryan knew about me because he wanted you back. And somehow, nobody thought I deserved to know any of this?””
Emma started crying.
“I know.””
I looked at her.
“Do you?””
She covered her face.
“I was wrong.””
“Yes.””
“I should have told you.””
“Yes.””
“I was scared.””
I looked away.
There it was again.
Fear.
Always fear.
But this time, I understood something.
Fear could explain a decision.
It couldn’t erase the consequences.
“Did you see him?””
Emma froze.
I noticed.
“Emma.””
She looked at me.
“Did you see Ryan after we started dating?””
Silence.
Then:
“Yes.””
The answer hurt.
Even though I already suspected it.
“When?””
“About a year into our relationship.””
I nodded slowly.
“A year.””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
“A coffee shop.””
“Why?””
“He wanted closure.””
I stared at her.
“Did you believe that?””
She looked away.
“No.””
“Then why go?””
“Because I wanted to tell him I had moved on.””
“And?””
“And he didn’t accept it.””
“What did he say?””
Emma’s eyes filled with tears.
“He said you weren’t who I thought you were.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“He said you were pretending.””
“Pretending to be what?””
“Kind.””
The word felt strange.
“He said eventually you would become controlling.””
I almost laughed.
“Based on what?””
“Nothing.””
“Then why did you listen?””
Emma didn’t answer.
Because she knew.
I didn’t need to ask.
She listened because she was afraid.
Because someone had hurt her before.
Because Ryan had left a scar.
And because Lauren kept reminding her that the scar could happen again.
But there was still something I didn’t understand.
“Why didn’t you tell me about meeting him?””
Emma looked at me.
“Because I knew how it would look.””
“It looks exactly how it is.””
“I know.””
“You met your ex behind my back.””
“Yes.””
“You let your best friend share information about me with him.””
“Yes.””
“You kept all of it secret.””
“Yes.””
The honesty was almost unbearable.
“Why are you telling me now?””
Emma looked at me.
“Because I’m tired.””
“Tired of what?””
“Being afraid.””
I didn’t respond.
She continued.
“I spent years believing everyone leaves.””
Her voice cracked.
“My father left when I was young. Ryan left after four years. Then when I finally found someone good, I started waiting for the moment you would hurt me too.””
I stayed quiet.
Because that was the first time Emma wasn’t defending herself.
She was admitting something.
“I thought if I protected myself first, I couldn’t be destroyed.””
“And did it work?””
She looked at me.
“No.””
“No.””
I nodded.
“Because you destroyed the one person who was actually trying to stay.””
Tears rolled down her face.
“I know.””
For a second, I almost reached for her.
Almost.
Because despite everything, I still loved her.
That was the worst part.
Love didn’t disappear just because trust did.
But then I remembered the notebook.
The messages.
The secrets.
I pulled my hand back.
“Where is Ryan now?””
Emma looked confused.
“Why?””
“Because Lauren wants me to ask.””
She went pale.
“What?””
“She texted me.””
I showed her the message.
Emma read it.
Her expression changed immediately.
“That’s not possible.””
“What?””
“Ryan wasn’t supposed to contact anyone.””
I looked at her.
“What does that mean?””
She stood up.
“I need to call Lauren.””
“No.””
She stopped.
“No?””
“No more conversations I’m not part of.””
Emma looked hurt.
“James.””
“I’m done being the last person to know.””
The room went quiet.
Then my phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
Again.
I looked at the screen.
A message.
Not from Lauren.
Not from Emma.
A name I had never seen before.
*Ryan.*
My heart started beating faster.
I opened it.
One sentence.
*“James, you need to know what Emma and Lauren did after they found out I was coming back.””*
I looked at Emma.
She was staring at my phone.
Her face had gone completely white.
“Don’t answer him,” she whispered.
I looked at her.
“Why?””
She didn’t respond.
“Why shouldn’t I answer him?””
Her voice dropped.
“Because if Ryan tells you the truth…”
She stopped.
I waited.
“What?””
May you like
Emma looked at me with tears in her eyes.
“You’ll know why Lauren hated you from the very beginning.””
