Perfect facade

_Chapter 1: "Perfect Facade"

Tina looked at Alex smiling, her husband of six months as he handed her a bouquet of roses,

While their gaze was still locked, Alex leen closer wrapping his lips on Tina's ,as she perceived his cologne, his breath made her want more of the him, as she pressed her body on his, forcing him to sit on the couch, gently brushing her fingers on his and she collected the flowers from him.

"Happy six months, my love," Alex said, his eyes sparkling with affection.

Tina blushed, feeling like the luckiest woman alive and a bit shy. Their whirlwind romantic gesture has swept her off her feet.

Their Manhattan penthouse was exceptionally well designed which shows a constant reminder of their luxurious life. The soft glow of the setting sun made it look more like a beach. Alex, a successful oil and gas entrepreneur, had charmed her with his generosity, and striking good looks.

As they sipped champagne and celebrated, Tina couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off, while gazing at the Manhattan view her favourite sight view , she couldn't concentrate on the music and the sensational atmosphere that surrounded them, Was the roses for distractions she murmured in her lips ...

Alex had been distant lately, receiving mysterious calls and leaving abruptly.

She brushed it off as paranoia, attributing it to business calls and emergencies at work. Moreover, she was also tired from work stress.

"Hey, babe what's on your mind?" Alex asked, noticing her weak and fading smile and glow

Tina hesitated, unsure how to express her concerns. "Just work stuff," she said, forcing a smile.

Alex's expression turned sympathetic. "You know I'm always here for you, Tina. We're in this together."

Tina's doubts faded immediately, replaced by gratitude for her loving husband.

The next day, Tina's worries resurfaced as she couldn't stop thinking of Alex’s behavior, so she visited Dr. Martin, a marriage psychologist, to discuss her growing unease.

"Alex is perfect, but sometimes I feel like he is hiding something," Tina said while settling into the wooden designed couch.

Dr. Martin's warm smile put her at ease. "Let's explore this further, Tina. Trust me, I'm here to help."

Tina felt a sense of relief wash over her. Dr. Martin's calm nature and non-judgmental attitude made her feel comfortable sharing her deepest fears about her marriage

"Maybe I'm just being paranoid," or probably work stress Tina said trying to convince herself and unconsciously touching the diamond ring on her fingers

Dr. Martin leaned forward, his eyes looking gentle and smiling toward her. "Paranoia can be a sign of underlying issues, Tina. Let's uncover what's bothering you."

Tina took a deep breath and began to open up about her concerns: Alex's increasing secrecy, his mood swings, and the mysterious and frequent calls.

Dr. Martin listened attentively, his expression empathetic. "We'll work through this together, Tina. I promise."

Tina left the session feeling reassured and relieved hoping this would help her marriage improve.

As the days passed, Tina's anxiety grew. As Alex's behavior worsened and it became worrisome. His actions became more suspicious, He would receive calls, excuse himself, and return with a distant look in his eyes.

Tina tried to bring it up with Alex, to ask him what was wrong, but he wouldn't admit something was bothering him . He told her she was being paranoid, and overthinking things and that everything was fine. But Tina knew what she saw, and she knew that something was very wrong, but could not figure it out

One evening, Tina decided to confront him. "Alex, what's going on? You're scaring me."

Alex's expression softened, and he pulled her close. "I'm sorry, Tina. I'm just dealing with some business issues. It's nothing to worry about."

Tina wanted to believe him, but his actions were saying something different

That night, as they lay in bed, Tina struggled to sleep, deep in thoughts she wondered what was going on with Alex, Suddenly she felt Alex's phone vibrate under his pillow. She hesitated, wondering if she should pick the phone but the curiosity got the better of her , then she gently lifted the pillow and took the phone .

A text message flashed on the screen: "Meet me at the usual place. -L"

Tina's heart skipped a beat. Who was L? What did they want with Alex questioned herself ,

She looked over at Alex, who was still fast asleep. She wanted to wake him up, to demand answers. But something held her back.

Instead, she carefully replaced the phone under the pillow, trying not to disturb Alex. She lay back down, her mind whirling with thoughts and questions.

As she lay there, she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off she thought again, Alex is hiding something from me , something big. she murmured.

She tossed as many times she could , and later turned, unable to sleep. Her eyes kept drifting back to Alex's phone, wondering who L was and what they wanted. The thoughts of Alex cheating on her was something

she was avoiding not to think about ..but she knew Alex restlessness was something big.