The harsh glare of morning sunlight filtered through the bedroom curtains, rousing Emma from a fitful sleep. For a blissful moment, the events of the previous night were a distant nightmare. Then reality crashed over her like a tidal wave, leaving her gasping for air.
Tom. Vivian. The kiss.
Emma's hand instinctively reached for the empty space beside her, the coolness of the sheets a stark reminder of Tom's absence. He hadn't come home last night. No explanations, no desperate pleas for forgiveness. Just silence.
With a struggled effort, Emma dragged herself out of bed. The apartment felt cavernous, every corner haunted by memories of happier times. She shuffled to the kitchen, her body on autopilot as she prepared coffee.
The whir of the coffee machine was interrupted by the shrill ri
