The days after their beach getaway and their gentle return to routines passed quickly. Morning coffees, shared chores, quiet dinners—each moment stitched their lives tighter together. But as weeks rolled into a month, the atmosphere in the Valencia household began to shift.
Jude, though still full of affection and humor, carried a shadow in his eyes that Sabina could not ignore. He left early most mornings and came home later, often tired, his shoulders slumped with unspoken heaviness.
At first, Sabina thought it was just adjustment—after all, he was only nineteen, and marriage came with responsibilities that would overwhelm anyone. But the tension deepened, settling between them like an invisible wall.
One night, after dinner, she finally asked.
“Jude,” she said softly, watching him s
