Gemotions

The late afternoon light cast long shadows across the living room as Eleanor scrolled through her husband, David's, laptop. Her breath hitched. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t snoop, but the lingering unease had clawed at her all day. David had been unusually secretive lately, working late, whispering on the phone. Now, the password protected document titled "Rainy Day Fund" mocked her from the desktop. Her fingers trembled as she typed in his birthday, a desperate plea for a different outcome.

A low moan escaped her as the file opened. Numbers swam before her eyes. Tens of thousands. Money she knew nothing about. She ran a hand over her forehead, cold sweat beading on her skin. What was he hiding? A second life? A gambling problem? The possibilities, each one more horrifying than the last, spiralled in her mind.

She closed the laptop, the click echoing in the sudden silence of the room. A tightness seized her chest, making it hard to breathe. The familiar scent of David’s aftershave, usually a comfort, now felt like a suffocating presence. She walked to the window, staring out at the darkening sky, feeling a profound sense of isolation.