Paulina's heart ached, a dull throb that mirrored the pounding in her head. The image of Benedict's text message, a simple "Busy, later," flashed before her eyes. It wasn't the words themselves that stung, but the way they felt – hollow, evasive, like a lie waiting to be exposed. She had known Benedict for years, their relationship a tapestry woven with trust and shared dreams. But lately, a thread of doubt had begun to unravel, whispering insidious suspicions into her ear.
She had tried to ignore it, to brush aside the nagging feeling that something was amiss. But the more she tried to push it down, the louder it grew, a chorus of whispers turning into a deafening roar.
Suddenly, a shrill ring pierced through her thoughts, jolting her back to reality. Her phone buzzed on the coffee tabl
