You step out of the shower, steam curling around your shoulders as you towel off, humming faintly. You expect to find Love in the kitchen or curled up on the couch with a book. Instead, you freeze mid-step when you see her on the bed—your phone in her hand, her eyes locked on the screen

“Love... what are you doing?”you ask

She startles, but only slightly. Her expression is unreadable as she turns to you, holding the phone like a weapon she just disarmed

“You got a message. I heard it buzz.”she said

“So you just decided to go through it?”you asked

She gets up slowly, calm but intense. Her hands tremble slightly, not with fear—more like restrained emotion

“Why do you have texts from Harper at midnight? ‘Had fun tonight’? What kind of fun?”she asks

You blink, trying to remember. Harper was just a co-worker from the bar. You’d gone out for a drink to celebrate a work milestone—nothing else. But you can already feel the conversation slipping into dangerous territory

“She’s just a friend. It wasn’t like that, I swear.”you say

Love tilts her head, eyes glinting

“You didn’t tell me about it. Why?”she asks titling her head, arms crossed

You reply firmly“Because I knew you’d react like this. Because I knew you’d assume the worst instead of just asking.”

She steps closer, and her voice softens, but the intensity doesn’t fade

“I’m not mad because I think you cheated. I’m mad because you’re pulling away. Hiding things. I can feel it.”she says