Angelina had been there for him during the first few weeks after the accident, holding his hand and assuring him that she’d never leave. “You’re not a burden,” she’d whisper as she stroked his hair. “We’ll get through this together.”
In the darkest hours of the night, when the pain became too much to bear, Stuart would sob, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I can’t be the man I used to be.”
Angelina would soothe him, wiping his tears and saying, “Shh, you’re still my hero, Stuart. Nothing will ever change that.”
Yet as the weeks passed, Stuart began to notice subtle changes. Angelina seemed distant and distracted. She was spending more time outside the house, claiming it was for work or to meet friends. He tried to dismiss his doubts, but they lingered like a shadow.
And then there were the telltale signs. It started with small things – like her coming home with a faint smell of men’s cologne or taking longer than usual for simple errands. Once, he saw her checking her phone with a nervous smile and quickly locking the screen when she noticed him looking.
“Who was that?” he asked, trying to sound casual.