“Mina?” My dad’s voice called through my bedroom door as he knocked. Thankfully, I had locked it when I got here because the tears and subsequent red eyes were just making me even uglier. Not wanting to risk him sticking around and demanding entry, I quietly moved to my ensuite and turned the shower on. Maybe he would think I had already been getting in and didn’t hear him calling to me.

Chapter 5

I knew I was entering the danger zone when the texts wouldn’t stop coming.

Bea: Talk to me. What’s going on?

Carlos: Please, Mina, you didn’t let me explain.

Mom: Are you ever coming out of your room?

Bea: Mom’s worried. Come on, you can talk to me. I promise whatever it is will stay between us. You’re not pregnant, right? If you are, I will totally be there for you and the little nugget.

Carlos: I didn’t mean to sound like I didn’t like you. I did. There’s just a different spark with Charlotte.

Bea: I love you. You know that, right?

Mom: At least eat something. I left food outside your door.

Flynn: Why am I getting calls from our parents about you?

Courtney: Are you okay?

I knew they were getting desperate when they got my sister-in-law to chime in with a text. We barely knew one another though. I wasn’t sure why they thought I’d open up to her, of all people. Not that she was a bad person, just someone I didn’t really know.

Bea: If you don’t answer me, I’m coming over there and breaking the door down. Okay, I won’t break it down, but I’ll get my awesome husband to do it for me. Then Dad will be angry because he’ll have to buy a new one.

Mom: I’m worried.

Carlos: Please, talk to me, Mina. I should have told you from the beginning, when I met her. I’m sorry.

Carlos: I told Charlotte. She left me. It was the right thing to do. I honestly don’t know who I miss more though. You or her. Please, talk to me.

I blocked Carlos after that text. It was like he was a living symptom of everything that was wrong with the world. Were people even capable of being faithful anymore?

Unknown Number: Your dad gave me your number and told me to fix whatever I broke.

Okay, that one was intriguing, and finally something worth responding to.

Mina to Unknown Number: Who is this?

Unknown Number: Tucker.

Mina to Unknown Number: Tucker?

Tucker: Samuel Brighton Tucker – your fiancé, remember me?

Mina: You were never my fiancé.

Tucker: You wound me. Seriously, I’m sorry for whatever I did that made you stop speaking to your family.

Mina: You have one hell of an ego to match your disgusting lifestyle. You did nothing that affected me.

Tucker: Then why are you playing the sulky teenager card with your family? You know I’m taking the blame for it anyway, right?