Chapter 1 - The Screen That Should Have Been Locked
Emily had worked sixteen hours without sitting down for more than five minutes.
By the time she finally walked through the front door of the small suburban house, her shoulders ached beneath the weight of exhaustion. One grocery bag dug into her fingers while another carried the medicine she'd promised to pick up for her husband, Daniel.
The television murmured softly from the living room.
Daniel barely looked up.
"You're late," he said without taking his eyes off his phone.
"The emergency department was overflowing."
"Hmm."
That was all.
No kiss.
No smile.
No question about her day.
Emily quietly placed the groceries on the kitchen counter.
Dirty dishes still filled the sink.
Laundry remained unfolded on the dining chair.
The same unfinished chores greeted her every evening, silently reminding her that somewhere along the years, their marriage had become routine rather than partnership.
She began unpacking vegetables.
"I thought maybe tonight we could look at vacation packages together."
Daniel raised his phone slightly.
"I'm already doing it."
"You could at least ask what I want."
"I know what you like."
His answer wasn't cruel.
It was worse.
It was indifferent.
Emily swallowed the reply sitting in her throat.
Perhaps he was tired too.
Perhaps work had drained him.
Perhaps tomorrow would be different.
Those thoughts had become habits she repeated every night.
After dinner, Daniel disappeared into the bedroom carrying his phone.
Emily remained in the kitchen much longer than necessary.
She slowly washed every plate.
Every glass.
Every fork.
Not because they needed cleaning.
Because silence had become easier than conversation.
While wiping the counter, she glanced toward the hallway.
The bedroom light had already gone out.
Vacation.
She smiled bitterly.
Maybe they weren't searching for beaches.
Maybe they were searching for the marriage they'd quietly lost years ago.
Around two in the morning, Emily suddenly opened her eyes.
Complete silence.
No television.
No rain.
Only a pale blue light floating through the darkness.
Daniel had fallen asleep with his phone still resting loosely in his hand.
The screen remained on.
Its cold glow illuminated half his face.
Emily sighed.
He would complain tomorrow that the battery had died again.
Carefully, she leaned across the bed.
Just one tap.
Turn off the screen.
Go back to sleep.
Simple.
Except...
The phone recognized her movement.
The screen unlocked instantly.
Not because she knew his password.
Not because she intended to look.
The facial recognition had mistaken her face in the darkness.
Before she could press the power button...
An unfamiliar conversation filled the display.
Not travel websites.
Not hotel reservations.
Not airline tickets.
A messaging app.
Hundreds of unread messages.
The newest one appeared at the top.
Delete everything before she finds out.
Emily stopped breathing.
Someone had already replied.
May you like
Too late. She's getting closer than you think.
---
