The Seat Swap That Got Me Harassed To Death Chapter 03
The threat hung in the air.
Emily paused for a moment, as if startled.
“Please, don’t break up because of me. I’d feel too guilty to sleep.” She spoke with a fake guilty look.
“I didn’t mean to upset you. Never mind the seat. I’ll just tough it out.”
But before she could finish, her knees buckled. She stumbled forward.
“Ah…”
She didn’t fall down. Ethan caught her instantly. His arms wrapping around her waist with a fluid familiarity.
It was the touch of lovers, not strangers.
My fingers gripped the armrest tightly.
“Claire! “
Ethan’s yell snapped me out of it. I looked up, right into his burning eyes.
For a second, I wasn’t sure who his girlfriend actually was.
Me? Or Emily, the one in his arms?
“Look at her! She’s about to collapse! Is your so-called pride really worth more than her life?”
The older woman lunged at me, finger inches from my face.
“You selfish brat! Do you even have a heart?”
Emily leaned against Ethan and gave the crowd a pale, tired smile.
“Please, don’t blame her. I shouldn’t have asked.”
The more she “defended” me, the more the atmosphere in the carriage curdled.
Ethan stared at me, the last warmth in his eyes dying into cold contempt.
“I’m asking you one last time, Are you switching or not?”
“If not, we’re done. Right here, right now.”
He stood there, waiting.
For my begging.
I knew it. He thought I’d cave. He was so sure I loved him too much to say no. So sure.
But he was wrong.
A cheater. Not worth my looking back at.
“No.” The word came out empty.
Ethan froze.
A long moment passed before he let out a bitter, jagged laugh.
“Fine. Don’t come crawling back, Claire.”
“Even if you beg on your knees, I won’t take you back.”
He put a tender, possessive arm around Emily’s waist and helped her up.
“Come on, let’s go find a conductor and get you another seat.”
Emily let him half-carry her down the aisle, her head resting on his shoulder.
But just before the sliding door, she turned.
The “fainting” victim vanished, replaced by a mocking smirk that promised my utter destruction.
I looked away, my pulse a slow, steady thrum of relief.
Passengers didn’t bother to lower their voices. Their whispers hissed through the train like vipers.
“Even her boyfriend couldn’t stand her. Serves her right.”
“What kind of person is that hollow?”
I ignored them, closing my eyes and letting the vibration of the train wash over me.
An hour passed. Ethan didn’t return.
He must have given up.
I went to the restroom to splash cold water on my face.
But when I stepped back into the carriage, I froze.
Emily was sitting in my seat, legs crossed, wearing a predatory, triumphant smile.
Ethan was carefully feeding her grapes from a container.
I strode over and said, my voice cold.
“Who told you that you could sit in my seat?”