“I need you to explain,” he says calmly, “why Emily just called me and said my wife threw coffee on her.”
Brittany blinks. “Because she’s lying.”
“Is she?”
“Yes.”
“You’re sure?”
Her confidence starts to slip. “Of course I’m sure. I don’t even know who she is.”
That’s when everything breaks.
Ryan closes his eyes for a second. When he opens them, he looks different—colder, clearer.
“You don’t know who she is,” he repeats.
“No.”
He nods once.
Then says quietly, “Emily Parker was my wife for eleven years.”
The room goes completely still.
Brittany stares at him.
Wife.
The word hangs in the air, heavy and undeniable.
“You told me you were divorced,” she whispers.
“I told you it was being finalized,” he replies.
Technically true.
But not the same.
“You said it was basically over.”
“That doesn’t make you my wife.”
Her face shifts—shock, anger, humiliation.
“You’re doing this here? In front of everyone?”
I fold my arms, letting the irony speak for itself.
Ryan doesn’t soften.
“Brittany,” he says, “give me your badge.”
She freezes. “What?”
“Your badge.”
“This is insane.”
“Now.”
Security appears nearby.
That’s enough.
Her lip trembles as she rips the badge off and slams it into his hand.
“You’re firing me? Over coffee?”