Ten minutes later, a woman entered. Tall, confident, carrying a small gift bag. Connor stood to greet her, his face lighting up in a way Julia hadn’t seen in months. He embraced her with casual ease, then sat down as if this were routine. Like they had a rhythm.
They talked and laughed, leaning in, smiling often. Julia couldn’t hear the words, but the energy was clear—intimate, comfortable. Her chest tightened. Her marriage, so full of tension lately, had none of this warmth. Her hands shook as she pulled out her phone and took a single photo.