The dinner party was a success, with everyone laughing and having a great time. But I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. John seemed distant, preoccupied, and I caught him staring at Emily multiple times.
As the night drew to a close, and our guests began to leave, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. Maybe I was just being paranoid, I thought.
But as we were cleaning up, John's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, and his expression changed. He quickly silenced the phone, but not before I saw the name "Emily" flash on the screen.
My heart skipped a beat. Who was Emily to him? And why was he hiding it from me?
"Who's Emily?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
John hesitated, then shrugged. "Just a colleague. We're working on a project together."
I nodded, but the seed of doubt had been planted. I couldn't shake off the feeling that John was hiding something from me.
As we went to bed, I couldn't help but wonder if our perfect marriage was just a facade. Was John really who I thought he was?