Chapter Three: The Other Woman

The room felt as though it had dropped ten degrees. Maya stared at the woman on her doorstep, her brain scrambling to process what she'd just heard.

"Boyfriend?" she repeated, her voice hollow.

Alex stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "Kara," he said, his tone clipped. "What are you doing here?"

Kara raised a perfectly arched brow. "I could ask you the same thing, Alex. But judging by the look on her face, I think I already know." She cast a glance at Maya, her lips curving into a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Maya felt heat creep up her neck, a mix of embarrassment and anger. "I think I'll leave you two to… whatever this is," she said, her voice tight as she stepped back.

Before she could retreat completely, Alex reached out and caught her wrist. His touch sent a jolt through her, but she quickly pulled away.

"Maya, wait," he said, his voice softer now, almost pleading.

"Wait for what?" she snapped, finally finding her voice. "For you to explain why your girlfriend is here?"

"I'm not his girlfriend," Kara interjected, her tone sharp. "But we're not exactly strangers, are we, Alex?"

Alex's jaw tightened, and he ran a hand through his dark hair, clearly weighing his response. "Kara, this isn't the time."

"Oh, I think it's the perfect time," Kara shot back, stepping into the apartment without waiting for an invitation. She turned to Maya, her smile icy. "Let me guess—new tenant? You didn't tell her about us, did you?"

"There's nothing to tell," Alex said firmly, his gaze locked on Kara. "Whatever we had is over. You know that."

Maya's head spun. "I think I'm missing something here," she said, crossing her arms.

Kara smirked. "Alex and I have… history. Let's just say he has a bad habit of getting too close to the people he shouldn't."

"That's enough," Alex snapped, his voice hard now.

"Oh, relax," Kara said with a laugh. "I'm just here to remind you that I'm not as easy to get rid of as you think."

With that, she turned on her heel and strode toward the door, pausing only to throw one last pointed look at Maya. "Good luck with him, sweetheart. You'll need it."

The door slammed shut behind her, leaving an uncomfortable silence in her wake.

Maya turned to Alex, her arms still crossed. "Care to explain?"

Alex sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Kara and I… it was a long time ago. She doesn't take rejection well."

"Clearly," Maya said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

He stepped closer, his expression earnest. "I promise you, she's not part of my life anymore. Whatever you're thinking right now, don't. There's nothing between us."

Maya wanted to believe him, but the knot in her stomach wouldn't loosen. "I think I need some space," she said, stepping back. "This is a lot."

"Maya…" Alex began, but she held up a hand.

"Just… give me some time, okay?"

She didn't wait for his response, retreating to her bedroom and closing the door behind her. As she leaned against it, she let out a shaky breath.

This was supposed to be a fresh start, a quiet place to rebuild her life. But between Alex's smoldering looks and his mysterious ex, Maya was beginning to wonder if she'd gotten more than she bargained for.