More Than Friends

Chapter 51: Two Years Later

Two years had passed since Amani was born, and life had fallen into a comfortable rhythm for Nicole and Devin. Amani had grown into a curious, bright little girl, full of energy and joy. Nicole and Devin had both adjusted well to parenthood, and their bond seemed stronger than ever. Nicole had gone back to work part-time, balancing her career while takin' care of Amani, and Devin was growin' in his position at his company, often workin' long hours to provide for their family.

But with success came new challenges.

Devin had been promoted recently, which meant more responsibilities, and with that came a new project—and a new team member. Jasmine, a sharp, ambitious woman in her early thirties, had recently joined Devin's team, and they had been workin' closely together on a high-stakes project that required a lot of overtime.

At first, Nicole hadn't thought much of it. Devin had always been committed to his work, and she trusted him completely. But as the days turned into weeks, and Devin's late nights at the office became more frequent, Nicole started to feel the weight of his absence. She missed havin' him around, especially durin' the evenings when they used to spend time together as a family.

A Growing Unease

One night, after Devin had mentioned that he'd be stayin' late again to finish a big project, Nicole found herself sittin' on the couch, watchin' Amani play with her toys. She couldn't shake the uneasy feelin' that had settled in her chest over the past few weeks.

Devin had mentioned Jasmine's name a few times—how she was smart, how she was helpin' the team get ahead. Nicole wasn't the jealous type, but she couldn't help but wonder if there was somethin' more goin' on. Was Jasmine just a colleague, or was there a deeper connection that Devin wasn't fully aware of?

Nicole shook her head, tryin' to push the thoughts away. She trusted Devin. But still, the unease lingered.

Another Late Night

Later that week, Devin came home late once again, his face tired but pleased with the progress they had made on the project. Nicole was already in bed, but she had stayed awake, waitin' for him to come home.

"How was work?" Nicole asked, tryin' to keep her tone light as Devin slipped into bed beside her.

"Busy," Devin replied, runnin' a hand through his hair. "We're almost finished, though. Jasmine's been a big help. She stayed late too, makin' sure everything was in order."

Nicole nodded, but her heart sank a little at the mention of Jasmine's name. She didn't want to be that wife—the one who got suspicious every time her husband worked late with a female colleague—but somethin' about the way Devin talked about Jasmine made her feel unsettled.

"That's good," Nicole said quietly, turnin' onto her side. "But don't you think you've been workin' too much lately? I barely see you anymore."

Devin sighed, his hand restin' on her shoulder. "I know, Nic. But this project is important. Once it's done, things will slow down, I promise."

Nicole nodded, but the doubt lingered in her mind. She wanted to believe him, but deep down, she couldn't shake the feelin' that there was more goin' on than just work.

A Miscommunication Begins

The next few days were more of the same—late nights, work projects, and Devin mentionin' Jasmine more often than Nicole would've liked. One night, while Devin was still at work, Nicole scrolled through social media and came across a picture from a company event. In the background, she saw Devin and Jasmine standin' together, laughin'. They were surrounded by other coworkers, but the way they stood close together made Nicole's stomach twist.

She immediately felt her heart race as doubts crept into her mind. She knew she shouldn't jump to conclusions, but the sight of them together made her feel uneasy in a way she hadn't felt before.

When Devin finally came home that night, Nicole couldn't hold back her feelings any longer.

"Dev, can we talk?" Nicole asked as soon as he walked through the door.

Devin looked surprised, but nodded, settin' his bag down. "Yeah, what's up?"

Nicole took a deep breath, tryin' to steady her nerves. "I've been feelin'...I don't know, like we're driftin' apart. You've been workin' so much lately, and you keep mentionin' Jasmine. I saw a picture of you two at that event the other night, and...I just feel like somethin' is off."

Devin frowned, clearly confused. "Nic, Jasmine's just a coworker. That's it. There's nothin' goin' on between us."

"I know that," Nicole said, her voice soft but filled with uncertainty. "But it feels like you've been spendin' more time with her than you have with me and Amani. It's startin' to get to me."

Devin sighed, rubbin' his temples. "Nic, this project is huge for my career. Jasmine's been helpin' me get it done, but that's all there is to it. I'm workin' late because of the job, not because of her."

Nicole nodded, feelin' torn between trustin' Devin and trustin' her instincts. "I just want to make sure we're okay. I don't want us to lose what we have."

Devin stepped closer, wrappin' his arms around her. "We're fine, Nic. I love you. I'm just focused on work right now, but once this project is done, I'll be back home more. I promise."

Nicole leaned into his embrace, but the uneasy feelin' didn't fully go away. She wanted to believe Devin, but somethin' told her that this wasn't the end of the issue.