Chapter 6: The Evidence She Couldn't Explain

Benjamin! You bastard!

Alicia's face burned red as she grabbed the bag and flung it at me.

It was just a small bag, unsealed, and the contents spilled across the coffee table.

The room went completely silent.

The lingerie and bell-adorned nipple covers lay in plain sight.

Everyone's expressions changed. Some looked shocked. Others immediately lowered their eyes, suddenly fascinated by the floor.

Alicia stormed toward me, raising her hand as if to strike my face.

I casually caught her wrist.

"What's this? Ms. Davids, is your first instinct to hit someone just because you don't like what they're saying?"

Her eyes flashed with humiliation.

"Let go of me!"

I released her wrist and stepped back.

Chuck finally stood up.

"Benjamin, that's enough. You have no right to insult Alicia like this."

I looked at him and laughed softly.

"No right? That's interesting."

I picked up the dashcam and held it between my fingers.

"This belongs to my car. I sold the car this morning, but I kept the dashcam."

Chuck's expression changed instantly.

Alicia noticed it too.

For the first time that night, neither of them looked confident.

"You wouldn't dare," Alicia whispered.

"Why wouldn't I?"

I looked around the room.

"You were the one who said I was nothing more than a childish boyfriend. You said Chuck was the man who deserved to stand beside you."

"So why are you afraid of the truth?"

Alicia's lips tightened.

"Benjamin, we can talk about this privately."

"No."

The answer came so quickly that even I was surprised.

For three years, I had always lowered my voice whenever she asked me to keep our relationship private.

For three years, I had protected her reputation while allowing mine to be trampled.

Not anymore.

I placed the dashcam on the table and turned it toward everyone.

"You don't get to decide when the truth becomes inconvenient."

Chuck stepped forward, his face darkening.

"You think some footage proves anything?"

"Then you shouldn't be worried about seeing it."

He stopped.

Alicia stared at me, her eyes filled with anger and something else I couldn't quite identify.

Fear, perhaps.

I pressed the power button.

The screen lit up.

The room became so quiet that I could hear the faint hum of the air conditioner.

The first few seconds showed nothing unusual.

Then Chuck appeared on the recording.

He opened the passenger door of my car.

Alicia followed him.

They looked around before getting inside.

The video continued.

No one spoke.

I didn't need to say another word.

Alicia's friends stared at her in disbelief.

One of them finally whispered, "Alicia... you said you barely knew him."

Alicia's face had gone completely pale.

Chuck reached for the dashcam.

I moved it out of his reach.

"Don't touch it."

"Benjamin, listen to me," Alicia said, her voice suddenly softer. "It's not what you think."

I almost laughed.

Those were the exact words I had expected.

But this time, they no longer had any power over me.

"Then explain it."

She opened her mouth.

Nothing came out.

I nodded slowly.

"That's what I thought."

I picked up my phone and checked the time.

My flight was only a few hours away.

I had already shipped my belongings and left the keys behind.

There was nothing keeping me in this city anymore.

I turned toward the door.

"Benjamin!" Alicia suddenly called after me.

I stopped but didn't turn around.

"Where are you going?"

I looked back at her one last time.

"Somewhere you can't hide me."

Then I walked out.

For the first time in three years, I didn't wait for Alicia to follow.