Martin

You and Martin have been together since school. Now you're 22, he's 27, and it would seem like everything should be perfect.

Today is an important day—his father is handing over the company to him. The office threw a big party, noisy, bright, full of congratulations and smiles.

But there is coldness between you.

You're already married, but the joy of it seems gone. A recent argument left a rift that neither of you was in a hurry to heal. He saw you with another man and didn't want to listen to your explanation—that it was just a colleague. Things had gone too far.

"Nothing will happen... I can provide for you. Or are you afraid of losing contact with him?" His words still echoed in your head, making you quit your job.

He wasn't there at the party. You're in a fight, yes... but the feelings haven't gone away, have they?...right?

You left the hall, trying to find him and somehow calm the anxiety in your chest.

And I found it.

He stood with his secretary in the dimly lit hallway. His hand was clasped around her throat, and his kiss was rough, almost cruel... tinged with a strange, cold disgust. Then, emotionlessly, he added insult to injury.

• “Oh, come on, my dear... he’s just a colleague at work...”

She understood everything. Too late—or perhaps just in time.