I was utterly exhausted; every bit of my energy drained from my body. I didn't have it in me to keep arguing with Yohann, so I pretended not to hear a word and headed toward my room. Even though Yohann and I had lived together for three years, we each had separate rooms and usually stayed out of each other's way. What was supposed to be cohabitation that brought us closer, as a couple somehow turned into something more like two roommates sharing the same rented apartment.
As I reached for my door handle, Yohann suddenly grabbed my wrist. His expression shifted, and there was a strange awkwardness as he said, "Your room hasn't been cleaned in days. Why don't you stay in my room tonight?"
Confused, I froze for a second. Yohann had always been strict about keeping our spaces separate. No matter what happened between us in the past, he firmly believed that even couples should
maintain personal privacy. So, what's with the sudden change? His suggestion felt off like there was something he wasn't telling me.
Suspicious, I pulled my wrist away and insisted on opening my door. As soon as I did, what I saw made my heart sink. Standing in my room and wearing my nightgown, a woman was rubbing her sleepy eyes.
"Yohann, what's with all the noise in the living room? What's going on?" she asked.
The voice was unmistakable—it was Zandria, Yohann's childhood friend.
She stopped mid-sentence when she saw me standing there. She seemed caught off guard for a brief moment, but then, as if nothing were wrong, she put on a friendly face and said, "Ysha, you're back from the hospital! How's your recovery going?"
I just stood there, speechless, staring at her in my nightgown. Had she been here the whole time I was away?
Yohann's face briefly showed a flicker of discomfort before he stiffly said, "Zandria, go change your clothes first. We'll talk later."
He pulled me into the living room, his voice edged with anxiety as he tried to explain, "Last night, after dinner, we drank too much. I didn't want her driving home alone—I was worried something might happen on the way. So, I let her stay the night here. She slept in your room, but nothing happened between us. Please, don't misunderstand."