I should have seen it coming. The quiet before the storm is never truly silent. It’s always a deception—a lethargy to seduce you into complacency.
It started subtly. The morning news program mentioned Andrew’s company in passing, but I didn’t think much of it. His enterprise was constantly in the spotlight. The second reference came during a midday stroll through social media: murmurs about Andrew’s link to an “unnamed woman.” By the evening, my phone wouldn’t stop vibrating.
Sarah called first. “Amelia, you need to see this,” she urged, her voice taut with desperation.
"What's happening?" I inquired, already fearing her answer.
“Ryan,” she said.
That name alone was enough to send a chill down my spine. “What did he do?”
---
When I accessed the link Sarah sent, my hands were trembling. My name appeared prominently in the article, with a blurry picture of me walking inside Andrew's apartment serving as its focal point.