The house was dim and still. Alex sat on the edge of the bed, elbows on his knees, bare feet flat against the cool wood floor. His shirt clung slightly to his back—whether from the heat or the pressure building in his chest, he couldn't be sure. His wife was preparing. He tried not to check his phone again. Tried not to look at the time. You agreed to this. You talked about it. You planned every detail, every boundary, he...

The wine bar was quiet for a Thursday night. Muted jazz floated from a speaker overhead, mingling with the low hum of conversation and the occasional clink of a glass. Alex sat alone at a corner table near the window, fingers on a glass of Cognac he hadn't touched yet. He rechecked his phone, though there were no new messages. Katherine hadn't responded to the one he'd sent thirty minutes ago. 8:20 pm "We're at the wine b...

Katherine ran her fingers along the silk lining of the dress before slipping it from the hanger. Deep garnet—rich as aged wine. The colour wasn’t modest. It didn’t whisper. It declared. But the neckline, modestly cut, was the balance: seductive only to those with patience. She had chosen this dress deliberately. It had been a long time since she dressed like this for herself. The quiet of the bedroom wrapped around her. A...

The hotel lounge was full but quiet, softened by the hush of low jazz and the warm lull of intimate conversation. Leather armchairs curled around small tables, inviting confidences. The lighting was low and golden, designed to flatter, to beckon. Waiters moved soundlessly in black waistcoats, gliding with drinks and delicate plates, their presence part of the room’s elegant character. Alex arrived first. He stood at the b...

Home 09:00 Alex stood in the hallway, glimpsing the familiar contours of their home through the half-open door. The soft click of the lock was a promise of safety he hadn’t felt in days. Weeks, months. His heart thudded under his ribs as he carried his overnight bag, heavy with the unsaid, the unspoken, the ache he could feel in his bones. He paused, inhaling the scent of cedar that clung to the air. This was their sanctu...