Gemotions

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee, usually a comfort, now felt like a taunt. Liam sat at the kitchen table, arms crossed, watching Maya. She was humming, something unfamiliar, as she poured herself a cup. The air hung thick with unspoken questions. He'd come home early, expecting to find her absorbed in her usual routine, but instead, he'd overheard snippets of Vietnamese floating from her study. He'd feigned nonchalance, but his pulse hammered in his ears.

He took a deliberate sip of his coffee, the bitterness a welcome distraction. "What's that you're listening to?" he finally asked, his voice deliberately flat.

Maya turned, a smile playing on her lips. "Oh, just a podcast. Nothing much." She avoided his gaze, fiddling with a sugar packet.

Liam didn’t press. He felt a strange tension coil in his gut. He knew she was hiding something, and the more she tried to conceal it, the more his jaw tightened.