Mira's hands trembled as she read the message again.
"You think he's loyal? Open your eyes, sweetheart."
Her pulse pounded in her ears. She swallowed hard and looked up at Daniel. He was scrolling through his phone, completely unaware of the storm brewing inside her. His fingers moved swiftly over the screen, his expression unreadable. A small smirk curled at the edges of his lips.
Mira's stomach twisted.
Who was he texting?
She forced herself to stay calm, setting her phone down as if nothing had happened. "What are you smiling at?" she asked, keeping her voice light.
Daniel glanced up, his smirk vanishing instantly. "Huh? Oh, just a meme from work. Nothing important." He turned his phone over on the table.
A flicker of something—guilt? nervousness?—passed over his face. It was gone in an instant, but Mira caught it.
For five years, she had trusted him blindly. Now, for the first time, she wasn't sure.
The First Seed of Doubt
The dinner went on, but Mira barely tasted the food. Her mind was racing.
The text. The way he hid his phone. The way his eyes darted away from hers.
Was she overthinking? Was she being paranoid?
She had always hated insecure women—she prided herself on being confident, independent. But now, a cold whisper crept into her mind.
What if it's true?
After dinner, they walked back to their apartment. Daniel threw his keys on the counter and stretched. "Tired, babe?"
Mira nodded. "Yeah, long day."
"You should sleep early," he said, kissing her forehead. "I have some late work calls, but I'll join you soon."
Her heart sank.
Late work calls. Again.
She wanted to ask—Is it really work?—but she bit her tongue. Not yet.
Instead, she smiled and walked to their bedroom. "Goodnight," she said softly, closing the door behind her.
But she didn't sleep.
Watching the Cracks Form
Mira lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. In the other room, she could hear Daniel typing on his laptop. A quiet chuckle. The low murmur of his voice.
Something felt off.
She grabbed her phone, opened the message again. Unknown Number.
Who would send this? A friend? A stranger?
Her hands trembled as she typed a reply.
"Who is this?"
No response.
Minutes passed. Then hours.
Finally, she heard Daniel's footsteps approaching. She closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep as he slid into bed beside her. His back was turned. He was already facing away, as if to hide from her even in sleep.
Mira clenched her fists.
She was done ignoring the signs.
Tomorrow, she would find out the truth.