Part 3The Lethal Revenge My Roommate Stole

I was extremely satisfied with Sylvia.

Satisfied to the point where, for a fleeting moment, I almost believed she might actually be the exception.

But sometimes, reality has a way of slapping you in the face when you least expect it.

It happened on the day of the university's theater rehearsals. I dropped by the auditorium to surprise her.

I found her sitting in the dim lighting of the back rows, her shoulder pressed intimately against Todd’s. She was holding a plastic cup of iced coffee. She took a sip.

Then, Todd leaned in, his lips wrapping around the exact same straw she had just used. He took a long drag.

Without missing a beat, Sylvia took the cup back and drank from the very same straw.

A violent, high-pitched ringing erupted in my ears.

Sylvia glanced up and saw me. She froze for a fraction of a second. She followed my gaze, her eyes landing on the plastic straw.

"Todd has low blood sugar," she said smoothly, her voice completely even. "He almost passed out on stage twice. I just want to get through this rehearsal without holding up the entire cast."

With that, she shoved the rest of the iced coffee into Todd’s hands. "Finish it and get back on stage."

Todd took the cup. He took another agonizingly slow sip, locking eyes with me. A filthy, victorious smile spread across his face.

"Your girl is a tough crowd, Rowan," he whispered as he walked past me. "Takes a lot to get her pulse up." He clapped my shoulder. "Looks like you finally found a keeper."

He walked away, his posture radiating the same arrogant swagger I’d seen a dozen times before.

I stood paralyzed in the aisle, my heart hammering furiously against my ribs.

I knew that look. That absolute, predatory certainty. I knew it intimately.

Sensing the shift in my demeanor, Sylvia stood up and wrapped her arms around my waist. "Baby, don't overthink this."

"The guy playing the lead got into a car accident. Todd stepped in at the last minute to save the production. It’s a favor I owe him, nothing more."

I nodded slowly, pulling her tightly against my chest.

"Do you know... Todd has this thing about my girlfriends," I murmured into her hair, letting my voice waver just enough. "He stole the last few. I'm just terrified that you’ll..."

She squeezed me harder. "Hey. Look at me. The only man I love is you. Forever."

The words had barely left her mouth when her phone buzzed on the velvet seat.

I caught a glimpse of the screen. A text from Todd.

She glanced at it quickly, then pulled away from my embrace. "I have to get back to the crew. I'll find you later, okay?"

I watched her walk away, feeling my heart sink, millimeter by millimeter, into my stomach.

I thought Sylvia was different. But it had barely taken a week for him to get her number.

Over the next few days, Sylvia clearly sensed my manufactured depression. To cheer me up, she announced she was taking me out on her family’s yacht to introduce me to her inner circle of friends.

I decided to play along and give her "one more chance."

The yacht was sprawling and extravagant, the teak deck lined with crystal champagne flutes and artisanal pastries.

Sylvia paraded me around. "Everyone, this is my boyfriend, Rowan."

Her friends—a flock of polished girls in designer resort wear—smiled and offered polite, airy greetings. The vibe was decent enough.

After the obligatory pleasantries, the conversation inevitably drifted to the Dupont family’s empire.

"How’s the new pharmaceutical R&D coming along?" one of the girls asked.

Sylvia’s flawless forehead creased. "We’ve hit a massive wall with one of the chemical synthesis stages. If I could just get a consultation with Dr. Alistair Roth, the cardiac specialist, we could push through. If this drags on any longer, all of our initial funding is going to vaporize."

Before the sentence was fully in the air, a familiar, grating voice chimed in.

"Dr. Alistair Roth?"

Todd strolled onto the deck, holding a glass of Moët, smiling like he owned the boat.

"I know him," Todd said smoothly. "My aunt is a senior pharmaceutical rep. She’s had dinner with Dr. Roth a bunch of times. If you need an intro, I can make it happen."

Sylvia’s head snapped up. A spark of genuine surprise—and calculation—flashed in her eyes.

I stood slightly behind her, my fingers slowly curling into fists by my sides.

Every ounce of Sylvia’s attention had been magnetically pulled to Todd.

While they dove into a rapid, intense conversation about biotech connections, I quietly slipped my phone from my pocket. I opened a text thread with an unsaved number.

"The fish took the bait. Execute the plan."