Tommy doesn't say anything.

"Fuck. How did he find out? What - was he watching and waiting for Chad to do something stupid so he could swoop in and save me?"

"No. It wasn't like that at all," Tommy starts, "Apparently Chad was pretty open about it when they met for dinner. Shane didn't want to get involved but thought someone should look into him a little deeper."

"And that someone was you," I say matter of factly.

"Yes. I wasn't sure what his motives were when he told me. I didn't believe him at first but it didn't take long to prove he was telling the truth."

"Apparently not," I reply dryly.

"I think there's a lot about Chad that we don't know. I don't think this is his only secret."

"I can't imagine what else he could be up to," I say, "and you know what? I don't care. Fuck him."

"I get it. You're angry. You should be."

"I'm beyond angry," I say through gritted teeth, "so many things make sense now. Fucking asshole."

"Yeah. He is an asshole."

"I want to go knock on the door. I want him to know I know. I want to catch him with his pants down. I want him to feel as humiliated as I do right now."

Without any more thought, I push the car door open and get out.

"Beth, this is a bad idea," Tommy says, getting out of the car.

"Fuck him. I'm ending this. I'm not going to wait for him to try and sweet talk me out of believing what I saw."

"Shit," Tommy whispers under his breath, "I'm coming up."

"Stay back, Tommy. You don't need to see this."

"I'll stay back, but I'm coming up just in case things get ugly."

"Whatever," I reply, storming into the building. No doorman - good. I stand in front of the elevator and stare blankly. I don't know which floor Chad is on.

"Seven," Tommy says without any prompting.

We both step in the elevator. I push the number seven. By the time we reach the seventh floor, I'm shaking from all the adrenaline pumping through my body.

We exit and the doors close behind us. Tommy rolls his eyes and holds his arm out, signaling which way to go. I stop at the door that belongs to Chad's bachelor pad and take a deep breath. It does nothing. I'm too amped up.

I knock lightly. After a few moments without an answer, I knock louder. I hear Chad growl 'one minute' distantly.

The locks turn and the door opens. Chad is standing shirtless on the other side. The look on his face when he sees that it's me is priceless.

"Beth? What..."

I don't let him finish. I push the door open and walk in.

I look around and see a neatly furnished apartment. There's a small kitchen and living area. I can see how these women would easily believe Chad is single.

"Chad? Is everything okay?" the woman's voice calls from what I assume is the bedroom. She walks out wearing his button down shirt over her bare body.

"This is perfect," I snort.

"Beth, hon, I can explain," Chad stutters.

"Can you? I would love to hear what explanation you have for this." I laugh, but the voice doesn't sound like my own.

Chad stands silently, likely trying to come up with something.

"On second thought. Don't bother. The look on your face is all I need," I step closer to him, "I'm actually glad you have this place. Now you have someplace to sleep."

I give him a look of complete disgust and walk to the door, "we are over! Do not call me. Do not come back to the house. We are so done."

"What's going on?" the blonde asks.

I scoff at the scene before me, "done." I slam the door behind me.

Tommy, who was leaning against the wall in the hallway, stands straight and follows me to the elevator.

"You okay?" he asks when the doors close.

"Fan-fucking-tastic," I reply.

The doors open to the lobby and I swiftly walk toward Tommy's car. I can't get out of there fast enough. Tommy picks up his pace to keep up. He unlocks the car and we both get in.

"Why don't you come back to my place. You can spend the night," Tommy offers.

"Thanks, but I'm fine."

"I know when a woman says 'fine', it usually means anything but," he responds.

"Seriously. I'm fine. Fuck him. You just saved me from wasting years of my life with that scumbag. More years anyway."

"Still, Beth, that's got to hurt. You guys have been together for a couple of years already. You live together."

"Not anymore," I say, "It's strange. I feel relieved."

"Relieved?"

"Yeah. I've been thinking about our relationship a lot lately, wondering if I'm forcing it. Everything is clear now. All the things I turned a blind eye to. He was never the man I made him out to be. I wanted things to be perfect. I wanted to be able to love so bad. I made our relationship out to be much more than it ever was," I explain, "and he just went along with it. He got to have his cake and eat it too. Dick."

Shane nailed it at lunch. I never said I loved Chad because I knew in my heart that it wasn't really love. It was security and comfort - that's not what love is - not all of it anyway. Now that's gone too. I'm not even sad. I'm angry. I'm angry with Chad for treating me this way but I'm also mad at myself for letting it go this far.

"I'm sure he really cares about you Beth. He wouldn't stay with you for so long if he didn't."

"Maybe in his own warped way, but not the way a real man does, a real boyfriend."

I immediately think of Shane. He wouldn't do this to me. I know he wouldn't. Or am I just being naive again? He left, I can't forget that, no matter how hard I try.

Tommy turns onto the main road, "you sure you don't want to stay with me tonight? Or I can stay with you if you prefer."

"No. I'll be okay. Thanks, though."

He heads in the direction of my house. The house Chad and I share. Technically Chad owns the house. Once things settle down a little, I'll decide what to do and where to go. For now, he can stay in his private whore house.

"Thanks, Tommy," I say as he pulls into my driveway, "thanks for showing me the truth."

"Of course, you're my family."

"And thanks for making sure I didn't do anything stupid."

"Also my pleasure," Tommy smirks.

"Can I keep these?" I ask, holding up the manilla envelope of photo proof.

"I don't need them," Tommy shrugs.

"Cool," I smile, "thanks. Let's get together again soon - maybe for a more pleasant occasion."

"Sounds good."

I step out of the car and start up the walkway.

"Call me if you need me," Tommy calls through the window.

I give him a thumbs up and walk inside.

Shane

I had to go for a drive. I'm going out of my mind. I can't just sit in that hotel room and wait.

After Tommy told me everything he learned about Chad, I was fuming. He said he was going to tell Beth today so I've been seething, waiting to hear back - but I can't anymore.

Tommy's probably with her right now. I can't call him and ask. I can't call her either. I need to hang back and wait for the dust to settle. For all I know, she's not going to want to see me either - or talk to me. She's going to find out that it was me who told Tommy. She might hate me for getting involved in her business. Fuck.

I wonder what Beth's reaction is going to be. She better not take him back. I don't think she would. She's too smart for that. If Tommy was able to uncover so many things that easily - more than one woman, and in such a short time - there's got to be more. Scumbag. I want to kill Chad.

I made it out of Manhattan and onto Long Island pretty fast. Since I have no destination, I drive around Lawson, past my old hangouts. I swing by the site for the community center. I sneer. I can't work with Chad - not for a million dollars. That community center is going up no matter what. I don't care if it doesn't fit into the upper crust, white bread area he's trying to erect.

The sound of my phone echoes through the blue tooth speakers. It's Beth. I pick up instantly.

"Beth?" I answer.

"Hey, Shane," she answers, her voice calm. Maybe Tommy didn't see her yet. "Are you busy?"

"Not really. You need something?" I ask hopefully.

"I don't know," she wavers, "can you pick me up?"

I turn the car around as I answer. I don't need to think about it or ask why. It doesn't matter, "of course. I'll be there in ten."

"Thanks."

I disconnect the call and head over to her house. I don't need to ask the address. I've driven by plenty of times.

I turn down Beth's block, my heart racing. I assume she knows about Chad. I don't think she would ask me to pick her up from their house if she didn't, but who knows? I don't care. She needs me, I will be there.

I slow down in front of her house and see her sitting on the front steps, her legs folded under her. She stands up and walks toward me before I get out of the car. I unlock the doors and she gets in.

"Hey," I say.

"Hey," she replies.

"Where are we going?"

Beth buckles herself in, "Anywhere but here. I don't care. Just drive."

Beth smiles at me, then turns her head and stares out the window. I pull away from the curb. I know exactly where we're going.

Beth

This is where I'm supposed to be. I know it now. I glance at Shane. It doesn't matter where we go, as long as we're together.

I stare out the window into the darkness. I don't know where Shane is headed and I don't care.

I had to get out of the house. I can't think clearly in there right now. I want to smash things, I want to throw Chad's stuff on the lawn - I just don't care enough to be dramatic about it. More years of my life, wasted.

I guess they're not totally wasted. I found a great career, built myself a fine reputation. I wouldn't have done any of that without Chad. I'm thankful for that - and for the help of the Westbrooks. It's going to be hard to leave that office and go off on my own, but my name has value in this community. I won't have trouble moving on.