"So here's what I'm thinking," Evelyn said once they'd ordered their drinks. "It has to be believable, but don't overdo it. The goal is to make your girlfriend feel a little jealous, not to destroy your relationship." Daniel nodded, a mix of excitement and guilt swirling in his chest. It was a new plan to make Cindy feel the same sting of jealousy.

Evelyn was, surprisingly enough, extremely strategic, and he had every good reason to trust her judgment. They agreed she would call him after or during times with Cindy, using terms of endearment similar to those Cindy would use with Frederick. they would meet every now and then, and he would always introduce her as his "best friend from way back. It has to feel real, not forced. "Daniel felt a surge of hope. Maybe this would work. Maybe Cindy would see how much he needed her to prioritize him.

"One more thing," Evelyn said as they prepared to leave. "You need to change my name in your phone to something affectionate. What does Frederick's name show up as when he calls your girlfriend?"

"Just Frederick," he said.

"Okay, so we need something that shows intimacy without being too obvious. How about 'Evelyn Baby'?". It'll hit harder if Cindy sees it.

Daniel complied, his thumb hesitating before saving the contact. There was something exciting about spotting "Evelyn Baby" in his contacts. It was the first time in weeks that he felt in charge of how he felt, rather than just enduring his pain. But beneath it, guilt gnawed. Was he betraying Cindy by playing this game? His fear drowned out the doubt, pushing him to commit to the plan.

That evening, Daniel reflected on his choices. The coffee shop meeting had changed everything, a game changing midpoint that shifted his approach. He was not just reacting to Fredrick anymore; he was taking action, however flawed. As he stared out at the skyline, the city's lights seemed to pulse with his resolve.

With Evelyn’s help, Daniel got a different angle on his goal. He started mentioning her to Cindy how Evelyn had sent him a funny post, how they had grabbed coffee to catch up. The mentions were subtle, designed to bring curiosity. One evening, while watching the movie at his apartment, Daniel’s phone lit up with a call from “Evelyn Baby.” Before answering, he ensured Cindy had seen the screen, his voice warm and enthusiastic.

“Evelyn, baby!” he included. “You thought of me this morning. Where have you been?”

He felt Cindy glance at his phone, and it made him feel happy inside.

“I also missed you,” he said and went over to the window. “Oh? You’re back in town? Oh my God, I can’t wait to see you, Evelyn baby!”

They kept talking for five minutes, and he was getting more and more into his performance. After he ended the call, Cindy watched him with raised eyebrows.

“Who was that?” She uttered the request with a neutral tone.

“That was Evelyn, my friend from university,” he said, sitting back down beside her. “She just got back from a work trip to London. We’ve been friends for years.

“Okay, I understand,” she said. “You missed her a lot. I’m thrilled for you guys.”

That’s all there was to it. There was no hint of jealousy or worry, no matter how often he addressed this girl as his baby. He was feeling down and annoyed. Was she sure about their relationship or was it just that she didn’t care enough?

After a little while, Daniel made sure Cindy would come across Evelyn by accident. He arranged for Evelyn to visit him first, so that Cindy would show up during their board game session. As soon as Cindy stepped in, she saw that Evelyn and he were on the living room floor, laughing after Evelyn had made a joke when they had played Scrabble.

“Cindy!” he bounced up to give her a hug. “Perfect timing. I would like you to meet my best friend, Evelyn. Cindy, this is my girlfriend, Evelyn.”

Evelyn stood up and extended her hand to Cindy with a warm smile. She said, it was nice to meet you. “Daniel has told me so much about you, and I promise it’s all good things.”

Cindy shook her hand, and he could see her taking in Evelyn’s appearance her elegant dress, her styled hair, her confident demeanor.

“Nice to meet you too,” Cindy replied, though there was something in her voice that hadn’t been there before. “It’s funny, Daniel hasn’t mentioned you much except to say that you just came back to town.”

Daniel felt his stomach drop. Evelyn looked embarrassed, and he could see that Cindy was noticing things.

After Evelyn went home, Cindy called Daniel into the kitchen to talk. He understood from the way her face changed that this wasn’t a simple chat.

“Really, Daniel?” She crossed her arms as she said this. “Do you think I don’t see what you’re trying to do?”

“I’m not sure what you are saying.’ Yet he asked, before any other thought could take over.

“I thought I knew all your friends and suddenly here is this new friend who’s now your main one? Did Frederick inspire this in you?”

“Doing what?” he spoke but him voice came out weak when he listened to it himself.

“Don’t pretend you don’t understand,” Cindy said as her voice started to get louder. “You wish to create feelings of jealousy in me because you struggle with accepting my male best friend.”

Daniel constructed a tale about he and Evelyn reconnecting after years while she lived abroad. Although he delivered the poor excuse of a lie clumsily and Cindy seemed doubtful about it she chose to ignore it eventually.

As Cindy left, she kissed him softly, but her eyes held a question: What are you doing, Daniel? He didn’t have an answer. The jealousy play was in motion, but it was a dangerous game, one that could backfire if he wasn’t careful.

The board game night created a certain tension in Daniel’s relationship with Cindy. He had noticed the pulse of discomfort in her eyes when she met Evelyn and it gave him hope his jealousy plan was working. But it also made him uneasy, a sort of feeling that he was playing with fire.