RENE

“Hi, honey,” Cyril said as he strolled into my living room, completely uninvited.

The fact that he didn’t even bother knocking made his sudden appearance all the more unnerving. I was just thankful he hadn’t shown up while my mother was here.

“Hey… you’re here,” I said, forcing a smile as I leaned in to return his kiss, pretending his arrival didn’t unsettle me. The last thing I wanted was for Cyril to sense he wasn’t welcome.

Despite my best efforts, though, he wasn’t buying it. Cyril wasn’t stupid. He could already tell something was off.

I tried to make small talk, throwing out casual lines to deflect his...