The first thing Maya noticed was the wineglass.

It was in Daniel’s sink next to the mug he always used for coffee, with a lipstick mark around the rim.

Pink.

Maya didn’t wear pink lipstick.

She stood there holding his spare key, staring at it.

Maybe his sister had stopped by.

Except his sister was in Boston.

Maybe—

A woman laughed from the bedroom.

Maya’s stomach dropped.

For a few seconds, she didn’t move.

She just stood in the kitchen with her handbag hanging from one shoulder, listening.

Then she heard Daniel.

“Shh.”

Maya looked back at the glass.

She wished she hadn’t come.

The thought made no sense.

She knew that. But suddenly she wanted to be five minutes earlier, outside the building, still upset that Daniel hadn’t answered her calls.

She put her bag down.

Then she walked toward his bedroom.

The door was partly open.

Maya pushed it.

Daniel looked up.

The woman beside him pulled the sheet over herself.

Nobody spoke.

“Maya?”

She knew that voice.

Not Daniel’s.

The woman’s.

Maya stared at her.

They had met before.

Twice, maybe three times. She had been at Daniel’s birthday dinner last year.

Of all the things her brain could have held on to, it chose that.

She had eaten Maya’s cake.

“Maya, wait.”

Daniel got out of bed.

He was wearing boxers.

Maya looked away automatically and almost laughed at herself for it.

“What are you doing here?”

She looked at him again.

“What?”

“No, I didn’t mean—shit.

Maya, I didn’t mean it like that.”

“You asked me what I’m doing in your apartment.”

“I’m just surprised.

You said you were working late.”

“I finished early.”

Daniel rubbed both hands over his face.

“Okay.

Just—give me a second.”

“A second for what?”

“Maya.”

She looked at the woman again.

“Can you leave?”

The woman blinked.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“Maya,” Daniel said.

“What?”

“Don't do this.”

That got her.

“Don’t do what?”

He lowered his voice.

“Can we talk first?”

“We are talking.”

“Not like this.”

“Oh.”

Maya nodded slowly.

“Sorry.

Is this uncomfortable for you?”

The woman started reaching for clothes.

“Maya, I’m really sorry.”

“Please don't.”

“I never wanted you to find out like this.”

Maya looked at her.

“How did you want me to find out?”

Silence.

“Actually, don't answer that.”

Daniel pulled on his trousers.

“Can you give us a minute?”

The woman grabbed the rest of her clothes and disappeared into the bathroom.

Maya heard the lock click.

Now it was just them.

Daniel stepped closer.

She stepped back.

His face changed.

“Maya, please.”

“How long?”

“It’s not—”

“How long?”

He looked toward the bathroom.

Maya felt something hot crawl up her neck.

“Why do you keep looking at her?”

“I’m not.”

“You literally just did.”

“I’m trying to think.”

“Think about what?

The correct answer?”

Daniel sighed.

That tiny sigh made her want to scream.

“Three weeks.”

Maya stared at him.

“Three weeks?”

“It happened twice.”

She shook her head.

“I didn’t ask how many times you had sex.”

“I know, I’m trying to explain.”

“Our invitations went out three weeks ago.”

“I know.”

“You came to my house that night.”

“Maya—”

“You sat with my mother.”

“I know.”

“She fed you.”

He closed his eyes.

“Maya.”

“And then what?

You came here and slept with her?”

“It wasn’t that night.”

She laughed once.

Daniel stopped talking.

“Thank you for clearing that up.”

“I messed up.”

“Clearly.”

“It didn't mean anything.”

She looked at him.

He seemed to believe that would help.

Maya glanced down at her hand.

The ring suddenly felt tight.

She pulled it off.

Daniel moved immediately.

“Don't.”

Her head snapped up.

“Excuse me?”

“Don't do this right now.

You're angry.”

“Of course I’m angry.”

“Exactly.

So don't make a decision when you're like this.”

Maya stared at him.

Four years with this man, and somehow he still had the ability to surprise her.

“You cheated on me, and now you’re telling me I’m not thinking clearly?”

“That's not what I said.”

“It’s exactly what you said.”

“I love you.”

Her throat tightened.

She hated him for saying it.

Worse still, a part of her still cared for him, and that made everything feel even more embarrassing.

“You don’t have the right to say that right now.”

“I do love you.”

“Then why?”

Daniel opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

Maya waited, hoping for an explanation.

She wanted something she could understand.

Something that would make sense of the past five minutes in the context of the life she had always imagined.

Daniel sat on the edge of the bed.

“I don’t know.”

And that hurt more than anything else.

Maya looked at their engagement photo on his dresser.

She had picked it out herself.

Daniel hated it because he thought his smile looked awkward. Maya loved it because he was looking at her, not the camera.

Now she couldn’t stop wondering if he had been with this woman before or after placing the photo there.

She set the ring in front of it.

Daniel stood up.

“Maya.”

“The wedding is off.”

“No.”

She looked at him.

“No?”

“I mean—come on.

Don’t say that. Not yet.”

“Not yet?”

“We’ve been together for four years.

We’re getting married in seven weeks. We can’t just throw everything away because I messed up.”

Maya swallowed hard.

“Us?”

Daniel fell silent.

“You did this.”

“I know.”

“No.

I don’t think you do.”

She picked up her bag.

Daniel caught her wrist.

Not forcefully, but still, Maya looked down at his hand.

He let go immediately.

“Sorry.”

She walked toward the door.

“Maya, please.”

She kept moving.

“What am I supposed to tell everyone?”

That made her stop.

She turned around.

Daniel realised too late what he had said.

Maya nodded.

“Figure it out.”

She left.