Gemotions

A tremor ran through Liam’s fingers as he reached for the check. Across the table, Sarah had been perfect, her laughter echoing in the small Italian restaurant. He'd thought, finally, he'd found someone genuine. He kept replaying their conversation in his head, trying to pinpoint any red flags. There hadn't been any. He'd felt… good.

The waiter arrived, and as Liam reached for his wallet, he caught a glimpse of a familiar face approaching. A flash of recognition, a gut-wrenching certainty, flooded him. It was Chloe, the woman he'd been seeing for the past three months, the woman who swore she was going on a business trip. She was with a man.

“Liam?” Chloe’s voice was a whisper, a sound that sliced through the restaurant's background music. His hand froze over the check. The world tilted slightly.