Gemotions

Michael stared at the photograph, his hand trembling. The image showed his father, a man he'd always seen as stoic and unyielding, laughing and holding a bottle of champagne with a woman who wasn't his mother. The date on the back was from his parents' supposed "happily ever after".

He felt a tightness in his throat, a sense of being utterly betrayed. His father had always preached honesty, the importance of family. He recalled his own youthful defiance, the way he'd rebelled, and the stern disapproval in his father's eyes. It all felt like a different world now.

He sank into his grandfather's old armchair. The leather felt cold and alien. This secret, unearthed in a dusty box, had shattered the very foundation of his memories. He took a deep breath, and he didn't know what to do.

He went to his mother's room. He sat there and stared at the door.