“I had no idea. But the weird thing was how he handled the situation. He didn’t even bother to deny what he did and he barely apologized. It was like he turned into a completely different person.” She remembered being startled by the cool detachment in his voice. The easiness in his suggestion to continue as though nothing were wrong. He told her she would be a lonely woman in her thirties without him. Where did that chilling arrogance come from?

“Was there anything about this relationship that made you suspect that Derek was unfaithful?”

Antonia took a moment to think. She did wonder why they hadn’t been intimate in the last few weeks, but she figured that they were both tired. But how many times had she tried to initiate? He seemed more tired than she. “We haven’t had sex in about a month.”

Her sister’s eyes flickered with discomfort. “Mmh.”

“I’m just being honest.”

“Yes, that was probably a sign, but I was talking about something more subtle.”

“What do you mean?”

Her sister hesitated for an instant, her dark eyes full of regret. “Maybe I should have said something much earlier, Toni. Speaking as your sister and not a therapist, Derek is an asshole. I’ve thought so from the start. His cheating on you doesn’t surprise me in the least.”

Antonia stared. “What?”

“Oh honey...” Octavia said leaving her seat. She quickly knelt next to Antonia and clasped her face between her hands. “Please don’t give me those frightened bunny eyes. They’re hard to face.”

“You’ve always hated him?”

Her sister nodded. “Well, I hated him as a partner for you, but now I just hate him.”

Antonia said nothing as she slid her arms around Octavia. They hugged tightly, Antonia’s tears and sniffles were the only sounds in the silent apartment. When they pulled apart, Octavia used the sleeve of her tunic to wipe Antonia’s eyes. “Mom gave me a lecture just yesterday. We fought about Derek on the phone and I defended him like an idiot. How could I not see it?”

“Don’t feel too bad about a fight with Mom. When it comes to her, it’s easy to get defensive. She doesn’t always give her opinion with kid gloves...” Octavia trailed off, possibly remembering arguments she’d had with their mother. “As far as Derek is concerned, I think we see what we want to see. Things are always different when you’re on the inside actually living it.”

“How did it look from the outside?”

Octavia sat back on her heels and pursed her lips. “Remember that night I met up with you two and you announced your engagement?”

“Yeah?”

“You were so excited, showing off the ring. We all drank champagne. But he looked so vacant. Very handsome, very charming, but he just didn’t seem to have any real feelings.”

Antonia stared at the engagement ring on her finger. She tugged it from her finger and set it on the coffee table.

“I’d like to think I’m pretty good at spotting robotic people,” Octavia continued. “I remember congratulating the both of you and watching him hold your hand, but he held it like a stone. When I asked if you two were going to find a place together, he naturally assumed that you’d just move into his apartment. When I asked about your book project—”