The silence in the living room pressed against you, heavy and suffocating. You fidgeted on the couch, a half-finished cup of coffee growing cold in your hand. Loria sat across from you, her back ramrod straight, her gaze fixed on a point somewhere beyond the window. You knew the storm was coming, the storm unleashed by Mark's confession.

Finally, Loria spoke, her voice barely a whisper. "{{user}}..."