My living room was occupied with Ryan and Lena, and I sat on the sofa, gazing at them blankly. Although my body resisted, my mind begged me to get rid of them. Their arrogance was suffocating, and the scene I would just witnessed repeated over and over in my thoughts.

Lena appeared to be the ideal guest as she sat with her legs crossed and her hands neatly clasped in her lap. However, Ryan strolled the room as if he owned it, as if he had not just dropped the question to a different woman a few hours prior.

"Are you really going to keep your behavior to yourself?" When Ryan eventually spoke, his voice broke the strained stillness.

I forced myself to look at him and blinked. “Explain?” I repeated in a flat, icy tone. "Ryan, what specifically do you want me to explain?"

His eyebrows sprang up, and he glanced at Lena. "You have been distant since you came back," he stated. “Is it the trip? Work-related stress? Stacey, I am trying to assist you, but you are making it impossible."

I laughed without amusement and shook my head. "Am I the one making things impossible?"

Lena gently cleared her throat, calling our attention. "Ryan is simply trying to be considerate, Stacey," she said, her voice silky and lovely. "Perhaps you should—"

“Don’t.” I snapped, abruptly cutting her off. My voice was harsher than I wanted, but I did not mind. "Lena, you have no right to sit there and act like you are worried about me."

Ryan's protective instincts quickly took over as his eyes narrowed. "Be mindful of your tone," he cautioned, approaching her. "Lena has shown you nothing but kindness, and this is your way of saying thank you?"

I resisted the impulse to blow up, clenching my fists and burying my nails into my hands. In addition to standing up for her, he was also accusing me of wrongdoing. after all of his actions.

"You have no clue what I have gone through in the last three months, Ryan," I answered slowly, maintaining my composure in spite of the storm that was brewing inside of me. You have no clue how much I have given up to secure our future. And now you are brave enough to stand there and give me a lecture? when she is present."

"What does that mean?" With a defensive tone, he fired back.

"It implies that rather than criticizing me for not throwing a lavish party for you and your long-lost sister, perhaps you should ask yourself why I am unhappy," I replied, getting to my feet and looking him in the eye.

Lena recoiled, and Ryan's mouth tensed. Good. Let them struggle.

Ryan responded, "You are overreacting," in a harsh but lowered voice. "This is how you have always been—making everything about you and drawing judgments too quickly."

I stepped back a little as the words hit me like a slap, my breath halting. The sounds I was hearing were unbelievable.

"I am making myself the center of attention." I muttered, my voice shaking with rage. "Ryan, are you really attempting to deceive me at this moment? After—”

I was unable to finish my sentence. I couldn’t say it. I could not force myself to tell them everything.

"After what?" Ryan pressed, sounding almost arrogant now.

I shook my head as the tears I had been fighting so hard to contain threatened to come out. “You know what? Forget it. Both of you. Get out of my apartment.”

Ryan frowned. “Stacey, don’t be ridiculous. We came here to visit you because we care for you—"

“Get. Out.”

This time, there was no space for debate because the words were said more loudly. Lena was about to speak when Ryan put a hand on her arm and stopped her.

"We will go," he stated in a strained voice. “But this isn’t over.”

A nervous breath left my throat as I watched them go, the door clicking shut behind them. The stillness that followed was terrible, but it was my own.

For now.

---

Hours passed, but the storm inside me refused to settle. My mind was racing with questions I could not answer as I paced the flat. How much time had they been deceiving me? Was Ryan just an expert manipulator, or was I an idiot?

Now, every memory we had in common seemed poisoned. Every grin, every joke, every promise seemed fake. How did I become so blind?

My phone buzzed, snapping me out of my thoughts. After a moment of hesitation, I answered, partly expecting Ryan to call again. Rather, my mother had sent me a message.

“Ryan called us. He said you’re not feeling well. Is everything okay, baby?”

I tightened my jaw and gripped the phone more tightly. Of course, he’d run to my parents. He had a knack for manipulating the story to suit his interests.

I quickly typed a response. "I am alright, Mom. Just tired. Don’t worry about me.”

Nevertheless, another message arrived as soon as I clicked send. This one was unidentified.

"You have a right to know the truth about Lena and Ryan. Come see me at the Fifth Avenue coffee shop tomorrow. Noon.”

My heart raced as I looked at the screen. Who could this be? What truth were they talking about?

Every possibility that sprang to mind was more devastating than the last. I wanted to disregard the message and act as though nothing was going on. The part of me that refused to be a victim, however, understood I had to go.

I have to be aware.

---

The following morning, I hardly slept. I could not because of my thoughts. When noon finally arrived, I was already in the coffee shop, sipping my black coffee and looking around the room for anyone who could be suspicious.

Fifteen minutes went by. Then thirty. I was ready to walk away when a man moved into the seat across from me.

"Stacey?" he said softly.

I nodded cautiously. “Who are you?”

He lowered his voice even more as he looked around. "I know Ryan, but you do not know me. And Lena.”

My heart skipped a beat. "What are you saying?"

The man leaned forward with a somber gaze. "You are mistaken about who they are. And if you do not leave now, you will lose more than your relationship."

My breath caught in my throat. “What are you talking about? Who are they?”

He hesitated for a bit before placing his phone on the table. In a picture I saw, Ryan and Lena were embracing, but it did not appear like they were siblings; rather, it looked like they were younger.

He declared, "They have been deceiving you from the beginning. It is worse than you realize, too.”

The stranger's phone snap caught my attention. Lena and Ryan were closer, happier, and younger. She was tilting her head back in laughing as he put his arm around her waist. They did not look at each other like family. The look was that of lovers.

"What is this?" I demanded, my voice barely audible.

The stranger anxiously looked around before pulling the phone back. "That is the reality. Lena and Ryan are not related. They have spent years together. The whole tale of their long-lost sibling relationship? It’s a cover.”

I grasped the table's edge and shook my head. “No. None of that makes sense. Ryan told me all about how his family lost touch with Lena and then re-established communication last year.” My voice died off, and despite my efforts, uncertainty set in.

"Do you suppose someone who loves you will propose to another woman?" He inquired, his tone sharp. "And in your bed?"

The words struck like a hammer. I felt the breath leave my lungs, my mind racing with wrath and astonishment.

"Who are you?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "Why should I trust you?"

He crossed his arms and leaned back. "My name is Daniel. I’m Lena’s ex. Two years ago, she vanished, and we were engaged. She departed without saying anything, but when I saw her with Ryan on social media, I began to piece things together."

My stomach turned over. "You were her fiancé?"

"Yeah," he answered in a sour tone. "And she ruined my life, just as she is doing to you. Ryan is not blameless in this situation. They’re con artists, Stacey. They take advantage of others, deplete them, and then abandon them. You are merely their newest target."

I wanted to shout and tell him he was lying, but something about his explanation made too much sense. Lena's abrupt presence, Ryan's secrecy, and his constant defense of her all fit too neatly.

“They’re con artists?” I repeated, my voice hollow.

Daniel nodded. “Think about it. Has Ryan ever asked you for anything big? Money? Investments? Promises he’d pay you back later?”

I felt the memories rush through me. Ryan requested the money when he was "between jobs." I allowed him to use the credit card for "emergencies." The money he had persuaded me to put in his "enterprise."

"Oh no,” I said in a subtle tone with trembling hands. “Why was I so blind to this facts”

Daniel softened his tone and remarked, "You are not the first. You will not be the last if you do not take action."

My thoughts raced as I glanced at him. "Why are you now telling me this? Why haven't you warned me sooner?"

"I only found out your address a few days ago," he said. "It was not simple finding them. But when I realized Ryan had proposed to Lena, I knew I needed to move quickly."

The world around me seemed to be closing in. My trust, my love, my entire future with Ryan—it was all a lie.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"You need to leave him," Daniel stated forcefully. "Cut him off entirely. But first, you will need confirmation of what he is doing. Proof that if he does this again, it will ruin him."

I swallowed forcefully, my head spinning. “Proof? How should I obtain that?"

"I have a few documents that may be useful," Daniel stated. "Cash records, text messages, and pictures." But you must look farther. Look through his emails and accounts. There’s always a trail.”

I knew Daniel was correct, but the idea of looking through Ryan's belongings made my stomach turn. Lena and Ryan could not get away with this, in my opinion. Not after all of what they had done.

I continued, my voice more steady now, "Send me whatever you have."

Daniel took out a paper to write down a number after nodding. "When you are ready, text me. Be careful, Stacey. Ryan is not simply charming. He’s dangerous when cornered.”

I nodded and slipped the paper into my pocket. I was filled with a weird mixture of thankfulness and fear as Daniel got up to go. It was no longer just about me. The goal was to prevent Lena and Ryan from causing harm to others.

---

It seemed colder and more empty when I arrived home. There were memories of Ryan at every corner, and now they all seemed poisoned. I roamed the living room, attempting to think of what I should do next.

I could not face him just yet—not without evidence. However, I had to move quickly before he noticed I was on him.

I took out my laptop and started looking through my bank statements and emails. The more I dug, the more I could see the pattern. Withdrawals from our joint account and transactions I do not recall authorizing all points to Lena Carter.

My rage threatened to explode from the bubbles inside of me. How did I allow this to occur? How could I have allowed him to control me so easily?

To my surprise, there was a knock on the door. I shut off the laptop and looked through the peephole, my heart pounding. It was Ryan.

I steadied myself with a long breath and then opened the door.

His voice was warm and comforting as he responded, "Hey." I almost thought it was real for a second.

“What do you want, Ryan?” Leaning against the doorframe, I questioned.

He frowned, his eyes scanning my face. "I stopped by to check on you. You’ve been acting… strange.”

“Strange?” I said it again, making myself chuckle bitterly. “Strange how?”

“Distant. Cold. Like you’re hiding something,” he said, stepping closer. "All I want to do is make sure we are all right."

"Everything is good," I responded, folding my arms. “Why wouldn’t we be?”

Ryan narrowed his eyes as he watched me. "Are you certain? Because it does not seem like it."

I sounded calm and feigned a grin. "Perhaps the journey has simply worn me out. You are aware of the stress that employment might cause."

He nodded slowly, but I could detect distrust in his eyes. "If you say so."

I had a rush of adrenaline as he turned to go. "Ryan," I interrupted him. "Are you still able to use our shared account? I have recently seen some unusual activities."

He stopped, his back to me. For a second, I believed he would not react.

"I will look into it," he eventually answered, his voice tense. "Probably a mistake."

As the door closed behind him, I took a hesitant breath. His reply had revealed everything I needed to know. Something was hidden from me, and I was determined to discover what it was.

---

I hardly slept at all that night. Every time I closed my eyes, I imagined Lena and Ryan making fun of me. By daybreak, my resolve to defeat them was stronger than ever.

I began putting the pieces together with Daniel's assistance. Fake identities, stolen money, and misled victims were all evident in the documents he supplied me.

Ryan and Lena weren’t just con artists. They were criminals.