A Night of Love, A Shadow of Lies
The city lights shimmered like scattered diamonds on the black velvet of the night sky. Mira Carter sat at the reserved table of Le Jardin, an upscale restaurant with candlelit ambiance and soft jazz playing in the background. The scent of freshly baked bread and aged wine lingered in the air, wrapping her in a comforting embrace.
Tonight was special. Their fifth anniversary.
Across from her sat Daniel Graves, the man who had been her world for five long years. His deep brown eyes met hers, filled with warmth—or at least, that's what she thought. His chiseled jaw, perfectly styled hair, and crisp navy-blue suit made him look like he had walked out of a high-end magazine.
Mira smiled at him, her heart swelling. "Five years already. Can you believe it?"
Daniel chuckled, swirling the wine in his glass. "Time flies when you're in love."
She melted at his words. God, she loved this man.
The waiter arrived, placing their entrees before them—a filet mignon for Daniel, truffle pasta for Mira. The food looked divine, but Mira barely noticed. Her focus was on Daniel, on how he played with the stem of his wine glass, his eyes darting to his phone every now and then.
Something was off.
She tried to push the thought away. Tonight was supposed to be perfect. Don't ruin it, Mira.
The First Doubt
As they ate, Mira glanced at Daniel's phone lying face down on the table. Every few minutes, the screen would light up. A message. Another. Then another.
She forced herself to keep smiling. "You've been busy lately," she said, twirling her pasta around her fork.
Daniel looked up, blinking as if he had been caught off guard. "Hmm? Oh, yeah. Work's been a little crazy."
Mira nodded, trying to convince herself that he was telling the truth. But a tiny voice inside her whispered, Liar.
She pushed her plate away, her appetite suddenly gone. "Are you happy, Daniel?"
His brows furrowed. "What kind of question is that?"
"I don't know," she said, forcing a laugh. "We've been together for so long. I just… I want to make sure you're still happy."
Daniel reached across the table and took her hand. His touch was warm, reassuring. "Mira, of course I'm happy. You mean everything to me."
For a moment, she let herself believe him.
But then—
Her phone vibrated.
She pulled it out of her purse and glanced at the screen.
Unknown Number: "You think he's loyal? Open your eyes, sweetheart."
Her breath hitched.
The blood drained from her face.
What the hell?
A Shattered Illusion
Mira swallowed hard, her fingers tightening around her phone. She felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. The jazz music, the clinking of silverware, the soft hum of conversation—it all faded into white noise.
She glanced up at Daniel.
He was on his phone again, his fingers typing rapidly. A ghost of a smile played on his lips.
Her stomach twisted. Who was he texting?
Her mind raced, piecing things together. The late-night work calls. The sudden changes in his schedule. The way he had started pulling away over the last few months.
No. No, this is just a prank. A random number. A mistake.
But she knew better.
Her gut screamed at her—Something is wrong.
She forced herself to stay calm. Not here. Not now.
Mira tucked her phone away and put on her best smile. "Dessert?" she asked, her voice unnaturally light.
Daniel nodded, signaling the waiter. "Of course. Anything for you."
Liar.
The Storm Within
The ride home was silent. Daniel drove with one hand on the wheel, the other resting on his thigh. Mira sat stiffly beside him, her hands clenched in her lap.
She wanted to ask. She needed to ask.
But she wasn't ready for the answer.
Instead, she stared out the window, the city lights blurring into streaks of gold and red.
Daniel glanced at her. "You okay?"
Mira forced a smile. "Yeah. Just tired."
When they reached their apartment, Daniel tossed his keys on the counter and stretched. "I have some emails to answer before bed."
Another lie.
Mira nodded, watching him walk into the study and close the door. She stood there for a long moment, her chest tightening.
Then, slowly, she pulled out her phone.
Unknown Number: "You deserve the truth."
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. Who are you? What truth?
But she already knew the answer.
Her world—the love she had built for five years—was about to crumble.
And for the first time, she wasn't sure she could survive it.