The bodyguard dropped me at the house and left.
Before going in,, I saw him punch in the code—not the old one, but Ryan's birthday.
I limped inside and surveyed the place.

It looked the same as three years ago, yet everything felt different. 
At the entrance, two pairs of slippers—one Victoria's, one Ryan's.
Her bedroom had two pillows.
The closet: her clothes on the left, Ryan's on the right.
The bathroom: two toothbrushes, two mugs, men's products everywhere.
Every detail screamed they were living together.

When the door creaked, I stepped out of the house that was no longer mine.
In the dim moonlight, two figures kissed passionately.
Click. I flipped on the living room light.
Victoria's flushed face froze in shock. She shoved Ryan away.

"When did you get back?"
She rubbed her temple." I drank too much. If Ryan hadn't brought me home, I'd still be stuck with those old drunks."
Her expression shifted to blame."Ethan, this was your job. If you hadn't lost it back then, I wouldn't have had to endure these years."
I stood still, absorbing her endless complaints.
Ryan emerged from the kitchen with a glass of water." Here, hydrate your throat."
His tenderness contrasted sharply with my broken state, like he was the caring husband.
Victoria shot me an exasperated look, sighing heavily, and downed the water.
"Ryan's looking for a place. Until he finds one, he's staying here."
As she expected my usual silence, I spoke softly." I know. Your bedroom's full of his stuff."
Her face froze. The glass slipped, shattering on the floor.
"You went into my bedroom?"
Her stern tone and the shattering glass sent me back to that moldy basement.
My mind went blank, and I blurted out,
" I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
Victoria paused, then stepped closer, frowning."Ethan, what's wrong? I was just asking."
I said nothing.
Ryan sighed."Ethan, really? I didn't expect you to hate me this much, even after three years. Are you faking it to manipulate Vicky?"
Victoria's eyes sharpened, as if awakened."Is that it, Ethan Caldwell?"
"I've told you a thousand times—Ryan was with me that night. Why won't you believe me? You nearly ruined him! His career tanked because you called him a murderer. He can't go anywhere without being stared at. Do you know how much you owe him? How could you be so vile?"
"You don't even know—because of you, Ryan almost committed suicide!"