Gemotions

The cafe air, usually buzzing with pleasant chatter, suddenly felt thick and heavy. Sarah stared at Liam, across the small table. He'd always said he was a high-powered lawyer, working long hours at a prestigious firm. Now, here he was, admitting to being a… a dog groomer. A very good one, apparently, but still. Her hands, resting on the smooth wood, felt clammy. She’d always admired his ambition, his drive. It seemed like a facade now. "So... all this time?" she managed, her voice barely a whisper.

She took a long sip of her lukewarm latte, the taste suddenly metallic in her mouth. The cafe's cheerful music grated on her nerves. She needed to get out, to walk, to breathe. The carefully constructed image of Liam, the successful lawyer, crumbled. She wondered if everything else they’d shared was built on a foundation of deceit.