LOGINEva woke up slowly, still feeling tired from the previous night. Julian was no longer beside her, and when she reached across the bed, her hand found only the cold sheets. She opened her eyes and reached for her phone on the bedside table to check the time.Before she could unlock it, a message from an unfamiliar number appeared on the screen.She opened it without thinking much about it.A photograph loaded first, and her heart immediately sank.It was Julian sitting across from Sophie at the restaurant. He was leaning toward Sophie, and Sophie’s hand was resting on the table between them. The angle made the meeting look far more intimate than it probably was, but Eva could not stop staring at it.Her eyes moved to the message beneath the photograph.“You should ask your husband why he was so interested in seeing me alone.”Eva’s fingers tightened around the phone.“Julian.”He turned from the window and looked at her. The moment he saw her expression, he walked toward the bed.“What
Julian stayed in his car for several minutes after leaving the restaurant, his hands resting on the steering wheel while he stared through the windshield. The shock of the photograph had already started to fade, leaving behind a calmer and more practical kind of anger.Sophie had tried to trap him, but the meeting itself had not changed anything. Nothing had happened between them, and the five-second video she had edited could not change that either.He could have spent the next twenty-four hours panicking, but that was exactly what Sophie wanted.He finally started the engine and drove home.When he walked into the kitchen, he found Eva standing beside the stove with a cup in her hand. She was humming quietly to herself while she waited for the water to boil, completely unaware of what had happened that afternoon.She looked over when she heard him.“You're back.”“Yeah.”Eva studied his face for a moment. “Is everything okay?”Julian walked toward her instead of answering immediatel
Eva found him in the study late that night. He was staring out the window, a glass of water in his hand, completely lost in thought."Before the hospital called us," Eva said quietly, breaking the silence. "You told me you needed to tell me something about Sophie. What was it?"Julian’s hand froze on his glass. He didn't turn around immediately. He needed a second to swallow down the wave of panic in his throat."Julian," she pressed, stepping closer. "What is going on?"Julian finally turned, looking at her with tired eyes. He didn't try to sound deep or mysterious. He just sighed. "Can we please talk about this tomorrow, Eva? I am completely exhausted. My head is spinning from everything that happened at the hospital. Please."Eva studied his face. She felt a mix of frustration and absolute tiredness in her chest. She had waited for an answer, but looking at how pale and worn out he looked, she didn't have the energy to fight him for it tonight."Fine," she muttered, nodding slowly.
The airport terminal was busy and loud. Near the gate, Beatrice was doing her best to stay calm, holding onto Naomi's hands tightly."Call me the second you land," Beatrice said. "And please eat a real meal on the plane. Don't just drink coffee."Damien smiled a little. "Mom, we're going on our honeymoon. You have nothing to worry about.""I know what a honeymoon is, Damien." But her eyes were bright with tears. When Naomi pulled her into a hug, Beatrice held on a little longer than usual. "Take care of him," she whispered."I will," Naomi said."Are you two sure you have everything? I can easily call the driver to turn back if you forgot a passport.""We have everything, Beatrice," Naomi said, pulling Beatrice's hands into hers. "Thank you for taking such good care of us while we were here. Honestly, I don't know how this house functions without you."Damien hugged his mother very tightly without hesitation.But as they moved toward the line, Victor caught his son, pulling him aside
The cold night air hit Eva's face the moment she burst through the hospital's glass doors. She ran blindly toward the parking lot, her vision completely blurred by tears.Sophie's words echoed in her head like a cruel chant.I bet you'd rather have me dead."Eva! Stop! Wait!"Julian's voice cut through the darkness. She heard his heavy footsteps as he sprinted across the asphalt behind her, but she kept moving. Before she could reach their car, his hand caught her forearm, gently but firmly turning her around.The moment she faced him, her knees gave out. Julian caught her instantly and pulled her against his chest. buried her face into his jacket, sobbing so hard that her entire body shook."Shh, I've got you. I'm right here," Julian murmured, wrapping his arms around her.He buried his face in her hair and held her close as she cried, his expression tight with concern.On the outside, he was the desperate husband comforting his broken wife. Inside, however, his mind was a chaotic me
The hospital lights felt too bright and cold, making Eva's stomach twist as she thought about the video she had received the night before.“Sophie Hart,” she said to the receptionist, her voice unsteady. “We got a call. She’s been admitted.”The receptionist checked the screen in front of her before looking up. “Third floor. Ward C.” Her eyes briefly flicked toward Julian before returning to Eva. “Family only, I’m afraid, past the front desk.”“I’m her sister.”The woman nodded and waved them through without further question.Julian’s hand found the small of Eva’s back as they moved toward the elevator, his touch steady despite everything that was still unresolved between them.“I think this is my fault,” Eva said quietly.Julian stopped and turned her toward him. He held her gaze for a few seconds before pulling her into a hug.“None of this is your fault,” he said quietly. “We don’t even know what happened.”Eva said nothing. She simply stood in his arms as the elevator doors slid s







