Lover II- ML

346. Marital Shift

AN: I'm sorry that I couldn't post last weekend, but I hope you enjoy!

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Flashback
Madrid, September 2025

It was never nice, sitting at home alone and scrolling through an ex's posts of them having fun with friends in another country.

Emilia didn't blame Patri for still living her life, but it didn't make it sting any less.

They were at some massive rave in Egypt in front of the Pyramids of Giza, something Kaia got invited to with her connections and looked so incredible.

Patri looked like she was having so much fun under the flashing lights, a drink in her hand and dancing to the music.

Kaia's close friends stories were the most entertaining to watch, because she was extremely drunk and had that haze in her eyes as she spoke to her phone, kissed Mapi for a photo like the perfect couple they were and then only ten minutes later posted a video of Alexia pouring a shot into her mouth.

Patri's stories cut a little deeper, only because the first one was her smiling for a picture with her arm around Leila's shoulders, while Leila had sunglasses on and a drink in her hand as she cheered for the DJ.

Emilia really didn't understand why she felt so threatened by Leila, a woman who was once so kind to her way back when they were Manchester City teammates for all of two weeks.

Leila was the complete opposite of Emilia in every single way, both physically and personally.

Did Patri have more fun with Leila? Is that why she's smiling so much?

The doorbell ringing makes Emilia look away from her phone with a sigh, locking it and getting up to answer the door.

She didn't know who to expect, but the woman on the other side was the last person Emilia ever thought would know where she lived and visit her.

It was Patri's ex-girlfriend she last saw in Ibiza.

Present Day

Emilia opens the front door and closed her eyes in regret the moment she sees Patri stood on her doorstep with a painful mix of hope and hurt on her face.

"Kaia told me." Patri opens with simply. "You know that already." She adds on as she takes a slow step closer. "I want you to tell me yourself, I want you to tell me why because-" she has to hold back a sudden sob. "Emi, Leila and I are only friends. She's my friend."

"I know." Emilia breaths out, still trying to wrap her head around having Patri so close to her again.

She could reach out, she could feel the softness of Patri's skin and smell her shampoo. But she had no right to anymore.

"Kaia said the same thing." Emilia glances down in shame, taking a step aside as a silent invitation for Patri to enter. "I believe her, I believe you."

Patri walks in only enough to be at Emilia's side, turning to her immediately. "Then tell me why you slept with someone else." She pleads weakly.