The following week, Quinn had hoped things would settle down, but of course, Ethan's ex-girlfriend—Lydia—had other plans.
It started innocently enough. Ethan had invited her to a work event, and as always, Quinn had tagged along, pretending that she was fine with it. But when Lydia showed up at the event in a dress that looked like it was designed specifically to remind Quinn that she was, in fact, not the only woman in Ethan's life, everything began to unravel.
The gala was just a preview. This time, the stakes were much higher.
Quinn could already feel the tension in the air as soon as Lydia entered the venue. There was something about her presence that made the entire room stop and take notice. Tall, slim, and with an effortlessly chic air, Lydia had that *thing*—the kind of thing that made people look at her and say, *She's the one*.
Except, Quinn couldn't shake the feeling that Lydia was trying to remind everyone—especially Ethan—that she *was* the one.
Quinn had been doing her best to keep her emotions in check, to act like she didn't care. But tonight, as she watched Ethan interact with Lydia, all the walls she'd carefully built around herself began to crumble. Every glance, every word exchanged between them felt like a dagger in her chest.
"Are you okay?" Ava's voice was the only thing that brought Quinn back to reality.
Quinn turned to find Ava watching her, concern etched across her face. Quinn forced a smile, trying to mask the frustration bubbling beneath the surface.
"I'm fine," Quinn said through gritted teeth, trying to act as if Lydia's presence wasn't affecting her. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Ava raised an eyebrow. "You sure? Because I'm pretty sure Lydia just laughed at one of Ethan's jokes in a way that's *way* too familiar."
Quinn's eyes darted back to Ethan and Lydia, who were now standing close, whispering in each other's ear like no one else was around. Quinn couldn't help but feel like the third wheel in her own life.
"They're... they're just friends," Quinn muttered, more to herself than to Ava. But the words felt hollow. She couldn't convince herself, let alone anyone else, that what was happening was just innocent.
Ava, who had seen Quinn go through so many ridiculous situations in the past, wasn't buying it. She leaned closer. "Quinn, I know you're pretending like this doesn't bother you, but it's *so* obvious that it does."
Quinn let out a frustrated breath. "It's just that... I didn't expect her to come back like this. I didn't expect her to just waltz back into his life and act like they never broke up."
"Ahh, I see." Ava smirked, the lighthearted tone in her voice only adding to Quinn's growing irritation. "You're jealous."
"I am not jealous!" Quinn snapped, but even she knew that denial wasn't helping her case. "I just don't like the idea of her trying to win him back. I thought we were... well, we're not *official*, but we're something."
Ava grinned, clearly enjoying Quinn's discomfort. "Well, if you want to keep it that way, you'd better do something about it. Because from where I'm standing, it looks like Lydia is getting *real* cozy with Ethan."
Quinn clenched her jaw, her hands curling into fists. She could feel herself getting worked up. "You're right. She's getting way too comfortable. I'm not about to just stand here and let her waltz right back in and take what I'm *not* even sure is mine."
Ava's eyes sparkled with mischief. "So, what's the plan?"
Quinn didn't even hesitate. "The plan? I'm going to make sure he knows that I'm the one here. Not her."
With a renewed sense of determination, Quinn stormed off in the direction of Ethan and Lydia. As she approached them, she saw Lydia giving Ethan one of those suggestive looks, and it made Quinn's stomach twist with irritation.
"Ethan!" Quinn's voice was louder than necessary, and she could feel every eye in the room turn to her. But she didn't care. She needed to make a point. "We need to talk. Now."
Ethan's face paled slightly, his gaze shifting between her and Lydia, who was now watching them with a mixture of amusement and... concern? Or maybe it was just a calculating look—either way, it didn't sit right with Quinn.
Lydia didn't miss a beat. She took a step back, her tone dripping with sweetness. "Oh, I'm sorry. Was I interrupting something?"
"No, not at all," Quinn replied, her voice sharp but not unkind. "Ethan and I just need a moment."
Lydia gave Quinn a smile that was all teeth. "Of course. Take all the time you need."
Quinn didn't even look at her as she grabbed Ethan's arm, dragging him away from Lydia and into a quieter corner of the venue. She could feel his resistance—he didn't want to cause a scene, didn't want to make things awkward in front of everyone.
But Quinn wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily.
"What the hell is going on, Ethan?" Quinn demanded once they were out of earshot. Her chest was tight, her heart racing. "Why is she still in your life like this? Why is she acting like nothing's changed?"
Ethan looked at her, his face a mixture of guilt and confusion. "Quinn, calm down. Lydia and I—"
"No!" Quinn cut him off. "Don't even try to explain it away. I'm so tired of this back-and-forth with her. She shows up, and suddenly, I'm just the *other woman*."
"Quinn, that's not what's happening." Ethan's voice was calm, but Quinn could hear the frustration in it too. "You're reading too much into this."
"I'm not reading too much into it!" Quinn shot back, her voice rising. "I'm not some... *place holder* while she's off doing her thing. You can't just act like everything's fine, Ethan. This is a mess."
Ethan sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Quinn, I'm not with her. I don't want to be with her. I'm with you. But Lydia—she's been... I don't know, stuck in my life. It's complicated."
Quinn shook her head, her eyes burning with unshed tears. "No. It's not complicated. You either choose me or you don't. But don't string me along while you're still hanging out with her."
For a moment, there was silence. Ethan looked at her like he was trying to decide whether or not to say something. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and steady.
"You're right," he said, his expression softening. "I shouldn't have let her in this way. I shouldn't have let things get this messy."
Quinn stared at him, trying to read his expression. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to believe him, but at that moment, she knew one thing for sure: She wasn't going to back down. Not now.
"I'm not here to be second best, Ethan," Quinn said quietly. "So figure it out. Because I'm not sticking around for this *back and forth*."
Ethan nodded slowly, his eyes locking with hers. "I hear you."
Quinn exhaled, the tension in her chest loosening just slightly. But as she turned to leave, she could still feel Lydia's eyes burning into her back.
This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.