Henry hesitated before agreeing to come with me. A flicker of doubt crossed his eyes as he said quietly, “Alright, let’s go.” We drove in silence to her house—a picture-perfect place with manicured hedges and a porch light glowing warmly. But as we approached the door, Henry’s steps slowed, weighed down by something unspoken.

When she opened the door, she stood there in a silk robe, lips painted deep red, like she’d just stepped off a magazine cover. But the moment her eyes landed on me, her whole expression shifted. The smile vanished, replaced by a stiff tension. “Oh,” she said coldly, “Didn’t know you were bringing company.”

I forced a polite smile, hiding the storm beneath, while Henry stayed silent, clearly caught off guard. The house was immaculate—too perfect, as if she’d been expecting someone, just not me. Every glance between them crackled with old secrets, and the air thickened with the weight of the past.

That night, words stumbled and glances cut sharper than knives. The truth didn’t need to be spoken—it hung heavy between us all. That moment at the door, when her smile died, wasn’t just awkward—it was the fracture that shattered everything. And in that silence, I knew this was the beginning of the end.