He Replaced Me in Three Days

On the third day of our fight, I ordered a box of ultrathin condoms and forgot to change the delivery address from my boyfriend's condo.

I put on the dress meant to end our fight and knocked on his door. “Landon, I think I had a package delivered—” I didn't finish.

Above me, Landon gave a cold laugh. “You think this is funny?” He braced one long arm against the doorframe. “You're the one who slapped me and told me to get out, remember?” Then he called toward the bedroom. “Baby, there's a gorgeous woman here trying to seduce me.

Come get rid of her.” Chapter 1 I thought Landon was bluffing.

I rolled my eyes. “So on day three of our fight, I'm supposed to believe there's already a woman in your bedroom?” “Keep dreaming.” I ducked under his arm and walked inside.

I knew the condo as well as my own. I opened the shoe cabinet and spotted a pair of fuzzy pink bunny slippers. A laugh slipped out. “You bought me these?

You know I like green, not—” “Baby.” Landon's lazy voice cut me off. I almost answered. Since when had one fight made him this affectionate? Then I looked up.

A woman in a tiny satin camisole stood in the middle of his living room.

She blinked at me with wide, wet eyes. “Why are you wearing my slippers?” I stopped with one foot still inside one pink bunny slipper. My mind refused to catch up.

Landon gave a helpless shrug, crossed the room, and wrapped an arm around her. “She showed up out of nowhere,” he told her. “If I'd known it was my ex, I wouldn't have opened the door.” Then he turned to me with righteous irritation. “Explain yourself, Nora.” Before I could speak, he strode over and stared at the slipper on my foot.

His voice went hard. “Do you have any sense of boundaries? You can't just put on someone else's things.” I held the wall with one hand and pulled my foot halfway out.

I couldn't lift my head. The shame hurt too much to swallow. Tears slipped down my face before I could stop them. After a long silence, Landon finally seemed to notice.

Some of the tension left his shoulders. “Fine. Claire's a germaphobe.

She won't want them after you've worn them.” He nodded toward my feet. “You can have them.” The place I thought was mine had been renamed in three days.

I forced myself to calm down and stretched my mouth into a smile. “I forgot to change the delivery address on a package.” Claire blinked, then tapped her forehead as if she had just remembered. “Oh, I'm sorry.

I didn't look closely. I thought it was Landon's.” Her eyes curved with a gentle smile. “I'll get it for you.” As soon as Claire turned away, I changed back into my shoes.

Landon stood there watching her go. I raised my hand and slapped him across the face. A bright red mark appeared on his cheek.

He ran his tongue along the inside of it and laughed under his breath. “You blocked my number, removed me from social media, and told me to get out.

Sounds like a breakup to me.” His smile sharpened. “You told me to get lost. I got lost and ended up with someone else.

Was I supposed to ask permission?” One long step put him in front of me.

He crowded me into the corner and let his gaze drop to the rise and fall of my chest beneath the lace slip dress.

When he spoke, his voice was low. “And now you're standing at my door this late, dressed like that.” He leaned closer. “What is this, Nora?

Did you come to beg me to take you back?” Chapter 2 Before I could answer, Landon's expression shut down.

He stepped away. “That slap settles the score for everything I did wrong before.” His eyes shifted toward Claire, and one corner of his mouth lifted. “She's already uncomfortable knowing I've dated someone before.

So don't show up again.” Claire came back holding the delivery box before I could say a word. She looked painfully apologetic. “I didn't know it was yours.

I thought Landon ordered it, so I opened it and put everything in the cabinet.” Her voice dropped. “I don't know how many you bought.

Maybe you should count them and make sure they're all there.” Landon leaned over the open box before I could take it. The next few seconds lasted forever.

Then he gave a quiet laugh.

It felt like waiting for an executioner to drop the blade. “Nora, it's been three days.” He stopped, looked at the condoms, and tried again. “You're already that desperate?” He took the box from Claire and shoved it into my arms. “There.

Back to its rightful owner.” His face cooled. “Anything else? I don't want my girlfriend getting the wrong idea.” Both of them watched me. Heat scorched my cheeks.

I could have explained. The words would have changed nothing. This might be the last time I ever saw Landon. I said nothing and walked out without looking back.

Inside the elevator, I opened the message from my boss offering me a transfer to Asheville. This time, I didn't hesitate. I accepted.

Outside the building, I dumped the entire box into the trash. The condoms. The apology I had planned. Landon. I wanted none of them.

At home, I curled up on my bed and stared at the wall. The ache kept spreading until it filled every quiet corner of the room. Then my best friend called.

She sounded delighted with herself. “Nora, I knew you could do it. You finally melted the ice king.” She laughed. “So?

Did he see you in that dress and surrender on the spot?” I didn't answer fast enough to slow her down. “I saw Landon's Instagram post.

You always said amusement parks were too childish for him, but look at that. He went for you.” Her voice rose with every sentence. “He even rode the carousel in mouse ears.

The man looks ridiculous. I guess the fight worked.

You really do know how to train a boyfriend.” “Are you sure you saw the right person?” I took a careful breath to keep my voice from breaking.

My friend burst out laughing. “Of course I am. I'll send you the video.” I opened it. For one beat, my heart seemed to stop.

The reason Landon and I had fought sounded almost stupid when I put it into words. We had been together for three years. He had never posted me on social media.

He never took me anywhere public to celebrate an anniversary or a holiday. Sometimes I would look at his calm, distant face and wonder if Landon loved me at all.

But whenever we were alone, he became someone else. This time, I had finally asked the question I had spent three years avoiding.

Chapter 3 It had happened in bed, at the most intimate moment between us. “Landon, do you love me?” He kept kissing my neck and gave me a muffled answer. “Does it matter?” I couldn't understand why three simple words were so hard for him.

I pushed him away. He slammed the door on his way out, and he still never said he loved me. My best friend had taken me out for drinks when she saw how miserable I was.

She told me to give Landon room. That was simply who he was, she said. There was no point forcing him. So I swallowed my pride and went to make peace.

But Landon already had someone else. In the video, he wore a mouseear headband. Half a heart had been drawn on his cheek in lip gloss. He looked ridiculous. He looked adorable.

He looked like someone I had never met. My friend was still asking if I was okay.

I managed a bitter laugh. “He has a new girlfriend.” Apparently, some of our mutual friends had asked the same question under his post.

A few minutes later, my best friend told me Landon had deleted it and posted a new version. This time, he made sure Claire's delicate face was fully visible.

I had begged for three years. She got it on day three. I didn't want to hear any more. I ended the call and started going over the project I would be leading in Asheville.

Then, at two in the morning, Landon called. The number was unfamiliar.

By the time I recognized his voice, it was too late to hang up. “Nora...” His voice sounded urgent, almost tearful. “I know I shouldn't be calling this late.” He paused. “But can you come to my place?” His next words came out rough and strained. “I'm begging you.

Please?” My stomach dropped. Landon was always so calm, so controlled. I couldn't imagine what could have happened to make him sound like that.

A hundred possibilities flashed through my mind in seconds. My body moved before my judgment caught up. By the time I said yes, I already had my coat on and my car keys in my hand.

I ran two red lights getting there. I fell on the stairs and tore open my knee.

When I finally reached Landon's door, breathless and bleeding, I found him perfectly composed and kneeling on one knee beside Claire.

Our mutual friends were scattered around the living room. Landon ignored the blood running down my knee. He smiled as if this were all perfectly normal. “Nora.

You finally made it.” Then he turned to Claire. “Can I prove it now?” He raised one hand like a man taking an oath. “I, Landon Hale, will never get tangled up with my ex, Nora Bennett, again.” His voice carried across the room. “No matter how she tries to seduce me or gets our friends to pressure me, it won't work.

As long as I'm with Claire, she's the only woman I'll treat well. She's the only woman I'll love.

No matter how hard anyone else chases me, I won't change my mind.” The rest blurred into noise. He hadn't called because he was in danger.

He had called because he needed an audience. I couldn't tell whether the pain came from my knee or somewhere under my ribs. My ears rang.

Claire finally cut him off with a playful squeal. “Okay, okay. That's way too much.” Her face turned bright red as she rose on her toes to cover his mouth.

Chapter 4 “Stop,” Claire said, flustered. “I know you didn't mean to choose the wrong video for your Instagram post.” She gave him a coy smile. “Since when are you this cheesy?

Were you like this with your ex too? Did you use ‘I love you’ like punctuation?” There I was again, dragged into their performance. My polite smile disappeared. No one noticed.

Landon turned Claire by the shoulders and rushed to explain. “No.

I'm only like this with you.” Then he nodded toward me. “Ask her if you don't believe me.” Every face in the room swung toward me. Some looked sympathetic. Some looked sorry for me.

Landon and Claire looked expectant. “Are you two done?” My voice was flat, and the room went quiet with it. “A good ex stays gone.

Haven't you heard?” I had always given in to Landon. When my gaze swept over him, panic crossed his face for a second. I pretended not to see it. Then I turned and left.

Their little show could go on without me. Over the next few days, friends kept sending me messages. Some didn't understand.

Others thought they were defending me. [Nora, don't be mad. Landon's just acting like a kid.

Claire is the girl he fell for freshman year, but she moved abroad before he could tell her.

You know how people obsess over the one they never got.] [You were the only woman in his life all these years. He normally won't even let a woman touch him.

With you, it was purely physical. Don't take it so personally.

Once the novelty with Claire wears off, he'll probably come back.] [After you left that night, Landon didn't look right. He seemed completely lost.

And Claire is so highmaintenance. Honestly, I think you two will get back together sooner or later.] The messages made my head hurt.

Eventually, I stopped answering and focused on the move to Asheville. My parents lived about a twohour drive from there.

Once they and my brother found out I would be so close, they would be thrilled. The night before I left, I went to the gym and came home ready to sleep.

The moment I opened my apartment door, I knew something was wrong. My bedroom looked as if someone had torn through it.

The clothes I kept folded and spotless had been dragged from the closet, crushed into piles, and thrown across the floor. My cosmetics were worse.

Broken bottles and shattered jars covered the room. My whole body started shaking.

I was about to call the police when the elevator doors opened and Claire stepped out carrying a bag. She met my eyes and smiled sweetly. “You're back. Perfect.

I couldn't find the jewelry Landon gave you. Are you wearing it?” I stared at her.

She explained in the same gentle voice. “The other day, I saw all the things Landon used to buy you, and I got a little jealous.

He gave me the door code to your apartment and told me to get rid of all of it.” “But you'd already used some of it, and I'm a germaphobe, so I had to