Gemotions

The silence in the house was deafening, the absence of his wife's laughter a physical weight. The bank statements lay on the kitchen table, a stark testament to the deception. She had kept a secret life. A separate life. A life away from him.

He moved through the house like a ghost. He went into the garden, their shared sanctuary. The roses, which they had planted together, seemed to droop under the weight of the news. He picked a single, perfect bloom, then crushed it in his fist.

The fragrance, usually so comforting, now choked him. He closed his eyes, the scent a painful reminder of what he had lost. He felt utterly desolate.