The Felony Between Us

The day I was released from prison, I stood outside the heavy iron gates, waiting for my fiancé, Logan, to pick me up just as he had promised. Dusk fell, and darkness swallowed the streets. Logan never showed up, and his phone went straight to voicemail. When I finally took a cab to my own apartment and knocked on the door, Logan opened it, his face frozen in pure shock. "Chloe? What are you doing here?" I took a step forward, wanting to hug him, but he blocked the doorway with his arm. He hesitated, shifting uncomfortably under my gaze. "I’m sorry, Chloe. Five years ago... I married your best friend, Tiffany. We have a kid now." He lowered his voice, cold and practical. "Can you transfer the deed of this place to my name? You need to find somewhere else to live. I’ll give you some cash as compensation." A chill rushed straight through my veins, freezing me to the bone. Five years ago, to protect Logan from his abusive, alcoholic father, I shoved the old man away during a violent fight. His father hit his head and ended up in critical condition, and the police dragged me away in cuffs. On the day I was sentenced, Logan’s eyes were bloodshot as he swore to me, "I’ll wait for you! The day you get out, we’re getting married!" Before I could say a single word, a woman’s sweet voice drifted from inside the apartment. "Babe, who’s at the door?" Slam! The door was shoved shut in my face. Through the wood, I heard Logan’s muffled voice telling her, "No one. Just a homeless beggar. I sent her away." I stood in the dim hallway for a long time before the numbness faded into burning clarity. I pulled out my prepaid phone and dialed 911. "Hello, I need to report a crime. Someone is illegally occupying my property." The door only opened again when two police officers showed their badges. Logan panicked, stumbling over his words as he tried to explain to the officers. "It’s a misunderstanding! Officer, this is totally a misunderstanding! We know each other. It’s not a home invasion!" He shot me a pleading look. "Chloe, tell them! Say something!" I didn’t say a word. Clutching my cheap duffel bag, I pushed past Logan and walked straight into the living room. Hearing the commotion, the bedroom door opened. Tiffany walked out, holding a little boy by the hand. The moment her eyes landed on me, color drained from her cheeks. "What is... Chloe? You’re out?" She forced a tight smile. "Why didn't you just talk to us? Did you really have to call the cops?" Frightened by the tension in the room, the little boy buried his face into Tiffany’s leg, sniffling softly. I stared at the child for a long moment before turning back to the officers. "Officers, thank you," I said quietly. "Let me talk to them first. If we can't settle this peacefully, I’ll call you again." The officers exchanged glances, taking in the family scene. "Alright. Stay safe. Call us immediately if things get out of hand." I walked the officers to the door and shut it behind them. The second they were gone, Logan turned on me, his voice dripping with exasperation. "Chloe, we haven't seen each other in years. Did you really have to make such an embarrassing scene?" He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, I’m sorry. I know you blame me. You went to jail to protect me, and I did promise to marry you. But... people change." He looked at me without an ounce of shame. "I loved you five years ago. I don't love you anymore." I completely ignored him. Instead, I walked over to the little boy. I crouched down, reached out, and gently touched his hair. "Hey buddy. How old are you?" "I’m almost six," the boy said timidly. "I’m starting first grade soon." Almost six. A bomb went off inside my head. The room spun, and my knees nearly gave out. I grabbed onto the entryway shoe cabinet to steady myself. Turning to Logan, I let out a bitter, trembling laugh. "I went to prison for you five years ago... and you have a kid who’s almost six." Tears blurred my vision. "Logan, you played me so damn well." Logan looked away, guilt flashing across his face. Suddenly, Tiffany fell to her knees right in front of me with a loud thud. Tears streamed down her delicate face as she looked up at me, begging. "Chloe, if you want to blame someone, blame me! It was all my fault. I seduced Logan." She sobbed, clutching my jeans. "Before you went to prison, I was already pregnant with his baby. Please, I’m begging you, just let us be happy! For the sake of our little boy, don't tear our family apart!" Looking down at her tear-streaked face, a suffocating mixture of rage and grief gripped my chest. My whole body shook uncontrollably. Logan rushed over, scowling at me as if I were a monster, and pulled Tiffany to her feet. "Tiffany, why are you kneeling to her? I’ll never leave you!" he said tenderly. "Your health is delicate, get up!" The little boy suddenly charged forward and shoved me hard, positioning himself in front of his mother like a little shield. "Bad woman! Leave my mommy and daddy alone!" They stood together—a loving, protective little family. And I was the cruel intruder. I wiped the tears off my cheeks with the back of my hand. A crushing exhaustion washed over me. I didn't even have the energy left to scream at them. I took a step back, widening the distance between us. "Get up. I don't care about breaking up your little family," I said, my voice dead and flat. "I just want my apartment back. You lived here while I was away for five years. What’s done is done." I pointed at the walls. "My mother left this place to me before she died. Starting today, find a new place and get out."Logan opened his mouth to argue, but Tiffany quickly tugged his sleeve, shooting him a warning look. She picked up my duffel bag with a sweet, conciliatory smile. "Of course, Chloe. Logan and I will find a place and move out as soon as possible. But could you please give us a month? Finding a rental and moving takes time, especially with Leo starting school soon." She pointed toward the small hallway. "There’s still a single bed in the storage room. You must be exhausted after getting out today. Get settled in, have a warm dinner, and we’ll figure things out tomorrow." I nodded slowly, looking around the living room. Not a single trace of my former life remained. Five years ago, before I turned myself in, I handed my keys to Logan. He had cried his eyes out, clutching my hands so tightly his knuckles turned white. Chloe, I’ll guard our home until you return, he had promised. Every plant you watered, every dress in your closet, every corner of this house—I’ll protect it all for you. The day you step out, we’re going straight to city hall to get married. And yet, back then, Tiffany was already carrying his child. The thought made my chest ache so fiercely I could barely breathe. When Tiffany reached out to unzip my bag under the guise of helping me unpack, I immediately stopped her. "I can do it myself." Tiffany paused, startled, before letting go of the handle. "Sure. Rest up. I’ll make dinner," she chirped. "You used to love my sweet glazed pork ribs. I’ll make a big batch tonight!" At dinner, I sat across from their happy little family. I took a bite of the ribs. Her cooking hadn't changed; it tasted just as it always had. Except now, every bite tasted like ash and bitter poison. After dinner, Tiffany got up to clear the plates, but Logan stopped her, catching her hand lovingly. "Babe, your back has been hurting. Let me do the dishes." Tiffany smiled sweetly. "Thanks, babe. Let’s do them together." Logan leaned in to kiss her, but she playfully pushed his chest away. "Stop it, there's company here!" she teased. "Have some shame." They giggled and headed into the kitchen, arms intertwined. I sat on the living room sofa, pretending to watch TV, but my heart had gone completely numb. I turned off the screen and went back to the small storage room to sleep. After five years behind bars, I was an extremely light sleeper. In the middle of the night, when I got up to use the bathroom, Logan’s low voice drifted out from the master bedroom. "Did you find the deed in her bag?" My heart stopped. I froze in the shadows. Tiffany’s annoyed whisper followed: "No. She’s watching me like a hawk. I barely touched her duffel bag today and she snatched it away. I didn't dare tear through it while she was looking." She paused, then added, "I’ll take her shopping tomorrow morning. You tear that room apart while we’re out." Logan was quiet for a second. "What about the promise you made to move out in a month?" Tiffany scoffed, her tone dripping with ridicule. "Are you stupid? I lied to her. This condo is in the top-ranked public school district in the city! Do you have any idea how much rent is around here? Over three grand a month! Plus, Leo needs the property deed registered under our address to get enrolled. An out-of-district placement fee costs over forty grand!" She sneered, "There’s no way in hell I’m giving this place back to her. We need to lock this apartment down under our names permanently." Silence hung in the bedroom for a moment before Logan spoke up, calculating and sly. "I’ll trick her into signing a long-term lease tomorrow." "A lease?" "Yeah. We’ll tell her we feel guilty staying for free for a month, so we’ll pay her a nominal rent. But in the fine print, I’ll stretch the term to fifteen years and include the local school registration rights. Legally, tenant rights override ownership transfers. Even if she tries to sell, she can't evict us." Logan gave a sinister chuckle. "By the time Leo finishes school here, this building will be ancient. Even if she gets it back then, it won't be worth a dime." Tiffany hesitated. "Isn't that too obvious? What if she reads it?" "She won't!" Logan’s voice was full of vile arrogance. "Didn't you see the way she looked at me today? She’s still totally in love with me!" "As long as I play the victim like I did five years ago, she’ll fall for it. Hell, I tricked her into doing five years in prison for me! Tricking her out of a stupid apartment will be a piece of cake!"I couldn't hear whatever came next. A high-pitched ringing roared in my ears. I wanted to scream, to kick the door down, to grab Logan by the throat and demand: Give it back! Give me back the five best years of my youth! Instead, I took a slow, silent breath, turned around, and walked back to my cot. I lay there staring at the ceiling until dawn broke. The next morning, Tiffany knocked on my door. Knock, knock, knock. "Chloe, are you awake? Chloe!" When there was no answer, Tiffany reached for the doorknob, ready to barge in. Right then, I walked in through the front door. "Sorry, it’s been so long since I could walk freely. I went out for some fresh air," I said evenly. "Did you need something?" Tiffany smiled warmly and looped her arm through mine, pulling me toward the sofa. "It’s Saturday! I thought we could go shopping together." She sighed, acting all guilty. "When Logan moved me in, we had so much stuff. A lot of your old clothes got tossed or misplaced over the years. To make it up to you, I want to buy you some nice new outfits. You can't say no! Remember how much fun we used to have shopping together?" Logan stepped out of the bedroom, smiling warmly. He even reached out, trying to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "Chloe, go with her," he said gently. "We really owe you. Put everything on my card today. Think of it as an apology." The same face. The same tender tone. He looked exactly like the boy who used to swear he loved me more than his own life. Yet all I could hear was his cold whisper from last night: I tricked her into doing five years in prison for me! I couldn't smile. I subtly leaned away, dodging his hand. It made my stomach churn with pure disgust. "Thanks. That’s very generous of you." Before walking out, I glanced back at Logan. He was leaning against my bedroom door frame, clearly waiting for the front door to click shut so he could ransack my belongings. I didn't hold back at the mall. Designer clothes, high-end bags, luxury shoes—I picked the most expensive items on the racks. Tiffany’s smile turned stiffer and uglier with every swipe of the card. The second Logan’s credit card hit its daily limit with a loud declined beep, Tiffany practically dragged me out of the store to head home. When we opened the front door, Logan was already sitting on the sofa, waiting. Seeing us return, Logan shot Tiffany a subtle nod and a triumphant grin. Then, he picked up a document from the coffee table and walked toward me. "Chloe, Tiffany and I talked it over last night. Even though you’re letting us stay for another month, we can't just freeload. Here’s a formal rental agreement." Logan handed me a pen and flipped the document straight to the signature line on the last page. "Sign this, and I’ll Venmo you ten thousand dollars right now for rent." I took the pen, keeping my expression blank. As I started to flip the pages back to read the terms, Logan’s hand clamped down firmly over the paper. He gave me an innocent, boyish smile. "It’s just a standard standard lease agreement, Chloe. There’s nothing crazy in there. Don't you trust me? Even though Tiffany and I are married now, you know I still care about you. And I know you still care about me." He pressed the pen into my fingers. "Just sign it, okay?" That innocent, pleading face. It was the exact same face he had made five years ago, showing up on my doorstep bruised and sobbing. My dad found me! He’s drunk out of his mind and he’s going to beat me to death! Help me, Chloe, please save me! I stared at Logan for a long time—so long that his smile began to strain. Finally, I bent down and signed my name. Logan grabbed the paper, checked the signature, and practically sighed with relief. He pulled out his phone and immediately transferred ten thousand dollars to my account. The moment the notification popped up on my screen, every trace of warmth and affection vanished from his face. The mask dropped entirely. I looked at him quietly. "Logan, the letters I wrote you from prison... did you ever read them?" Logan let out a harsh, contemptuous snort. He looked down at me with cold, dripping malice. "Hell no. You were so damn annoying. Writing letter after letter like a clingy freak. I replied to a few in the beginning just to keep you quiet, but I got sick of pretending." He rolled his eyes. "I sold the whole stack to a paper recycler down the street."Logan turned around, grabbed my worn duffel bag from the storage room, and threw it onto the floor at my feet. "There. All your garbage is in there." He pointed a finger at the front door. "Take your junk and get the hell out." I stood frozen, an icy chill creeping into my bones. Tiffany strolled over, wrapping her arm possessively around Logan’s biceps, her lips curled into a mocking smirk. "Chloe, are you seriously still this clueless?" She tapped the lease on the table. "Take a closer look at what you just signed, sweetie. For ten grand, you just leased this condo to us for fifteen whole years. That includes the local school district enrollment rights. Right now, this house is ours. When we tell you to get lost, you get lost!" My vision blurred with unshed tears as I stared at Tiffany. "Why?" I choked out. "Tiffany, I thought you were my best friend. You were an orphan. I brought you into my home, fed you, bought you new clothes with my own allowance. I even paid for your college textbooks!" The smirk on Tiffany’s face vanished, replaced by venomous hatred. "Best friend? Who the hell ever wanted to be your friend!" She sneered, stepping closer. "You never treated me like an equal! You’re just like every other snob who looked down on me, except you hid it behind a fake halo! Throwing me leftover clothes and buying me meals like I was a stray dog on the street just to satisfy your pathetic savior complex!" Her eyes burned with rage. "Watching me say thank you, Chloe, thank you over and over again—did it make you feel like a saint? Did it get you off?" I turned my eyes toward Logan. Suddenly, everything made sickening sense. "And you?" I whispered. "Is that why you did this too?" Logan laughed out loud. "To be honest, when you took the blame and went to prison for me, I did love you." His expression twisted into something ugly and bitter. "But I hated you just as much. Why did your parents leave you a prime piece of real estate while I was stuck with a violent, drunken piece of trash for a father?" He leaned in, a victorious grin spreading across his face. "But look at you now. You have no house. You never finished college. You’re nothing but a convicted felon." He sneered down at me. "You’re lower than Tiffany. You’re lower than me." I listened quietly, without moving an inch. Instead of running away in tears, I sat down calmly on the sofa and glanced at the wall clock. Almost time. He should be here any second. Tiffany thought I was trying to squat. Enraged, she lunged forward and slapped me hard across the face. Smack! The force of the blow snapped my head back, and my cheek instantly burned with pain. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth as I tumbled onto the floor. "Get out!" Tiffany shrieked. "I know your type! Get the hell out of my house before I beat the crap out of you, you miserable bitch!" Logan made a half-hearted attempt to hold her back. For a split second, I thought he was trying to protect me. But then he looked at Tiffany, chuckled, and crouched down in front of me. "Babe, have some sympathy," Logan said smoothly. "Chloe literally has nowhere else to go. Why don't we show some charity and take her in?" He patted my swollen cheek with a rough, heavy hand, sending pulses of pain through my jaw. "Here’s the deal, Chloe. Get on your knees." He grinned wickedly. "Bow your head and beg Tiffany and me three times. Say thank you for saving me. If you do, you can keep sleeping in that storage room and work as our live-in maid. I’ll even pay you fifty bucks a month. How’s that for generous?" Logan stood up, laughing gleefully alongside Tiffany. Amidst their smug laughter, I spoke, my voice calm and crystal clear. "Logan, that lease agreement is completely void." I wiped the blood from the corner of my lips and looked up at him. "My legal name isn't Chloe anymore." Their laughter cut off abruptly. Both of them froze. "I wrote to you about it in my letters, but of course, you sold them," I continued calmly. "Three years ago, I legally changed my name in prison." Before either of them could process what I had just said, the heavy front door was violently kicked open from the outside. A ragged, disheveled man burst in, reeking of cheap whiskey. It was Logan’s father, Hank. Clutching an empty liquor bottle in his calloused hand, his bloodshot eyes locked onto Logan like a predator. "You little bastard! I finally tracked you down!" Hank roared, charging forward. "Think you can run from me? No way in hell!" "You owe me, boy! I’m leeching off you until the day I die!"