I gave her a half smile as I walked out of her office and back to my cubicle. There was already a box sitting on my desk for me to start packing my things. I pulled my phone from my purse and dialed Brendon. It went straight to voicemail, so I called Giana.

“Hey, Gabby.”

“I just got laid off,” I said, deadpan.

“What? Are you serious?”

“They laid off five of us today.”

“Listen, I’m just walking into the court room with Brian, so go home, take a long, hot bath, and I’ll call you as soon as I get out.”

“Okay. I’ll talk to you later.”

I cleaned out my desk and tried to call Brendon one last time before I headed home. Still no answer. This really sucked. I couldn’t believe that I no longer had a job. My self-esteem fell even lower than it already was. I finally hailed a cab and set my box down next to me.

“You get canned, lady?” the cab driver so graciously asked.

“Laid off.”

“Sorry to hear that.”

“Thanks,” I replied with a sullen look.

I paid the driver his fare and grabbed my box. As soon as I opened the door to the penthouse, I set the box down in the foyer and walked to the kitchen and poured a glass of wine. Wine and a hot bath was what I needed right now. As I walked up the stairs and down the hallway, I stopped the second I heard noises coming from the bedroom. My heart started to pound viciously and a rush of nerves made their way throughout my entire body. I cautiously and quietly approached the door and placed my hand over my mouth as I stood there and watched Brendon fucking some girl from behind. I listened to sounds come from him that I’d never heard before. I threw my glass of wine at the wall that the bed sat on and, instantly, Brendon turned around and put up his hands.

“Gabby, I thought you were at work.”

The stench of the perfume that I once smelled on him lingered in the air. The girl, sitting on my bed, naked, asked, “Who’s she?”

“I’m his girlfriend,” I whispered as the tears fell down my face.

“You said you weren’t seeing anyone, Brendon,” she snapped as she gathered her clothes.

She walked past me and lightly touched my arm, holding her clothes tightly in a ball against her.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

I nodded my head and she walked out of the room. As I stared at him, standing there, completely naked, all I could see was the way he was fucking her. A way he would never do with me.

“Gabby, baby. I can explain.”