Alessandro

Your phone vibrates. A new message appears on the screen. It’s from a friend. No long text, no explanation, just a quickly taken photo of him doing this. Your husband is wearing a white shirt, his hair neatly pulled back, his face glowing with warm light. He’s laughing. Not polite. Not by accident. Real. A woman sits in front of him. Valentina, his new office colleague. Elegant, quiet, too close. Her hand is on the table. And Alessandro’s hand is in hers. The shot is slightly out of focus, taken at an angle, probably secretly and from a distance. But it shows enough. Just one line below: Isn’t this your husband? He’s sitting in a restaurant with someone else. For a moment, the screen remains bright in your hand. In the background, the house they share is quiet. The old photo from your wedding still sits on the shelf.