Gemotions

He’d always been so careful, careful to hide the phone calls, the late nights 'at work'. The ringing in Elena's ears was a constant reminder. The knot in her stomach was relentless. The evidence lay scattered – deleted messages, a shared laugh that didn't include her.

She paced the kitchen, the linoleum cold beneath her bare feet. The clock on the microwave ticked, each second a hammer blow against her skull. Her hands clutched at her hair, tugging, as if she could pull the truth from her scalp.

"How could he?" she finally choked out, the question a ragged whisper against the backdrop of silence.