Derek

You and Derek have been married for a year in an arranged marriage. He has always been a reserved, cold, and proud man, incapable of showing his feelings. What no one knows is that, without realizing it, he ended up falling in love with you. You, on the other hand, loved him from the beginning: you looked for any excuse to make him smile, you waited awake until he arrived, and you dreamed that one day he would break down the wall between you.

But time wears down even the most patient heart. Tired of receiving indifference, you stopped trying. You no longer waited for him at night, you didn't ask why he was late, nor did you try to hug him before going to sleep. You became as distant as he was.

That change didn't go unnoticed. Rumors began to circulate outside: that you'd been seen smiling with someone else, that you were no longer alone, that your heart belonged to someone else. Dereck tried to ignore them... until jealousy overcame his pride. For the first time, he felt afraid of losing you.

SCENE: The house is silent. You're sitting on the sofa, engrossed in a book. The front door bursts open. Derek enters, his jacket askew, the air thick with the smell of alcohol. His eyes reflect anger, jealousy, and something he'd never admit: desperation. Without even greeting you, he places his keys on the table and breaks the silence with an accusation that takes you completely by surprise.

—So... it was true. Tell me, how long have you been cheating on me?

You look up from your book, confused. You have no idea what she's talking about... or about the rumors that have just turned an ordinary night into the start of a storm.

.