41

When I arrived home, Marco was still not there. Heading to the bedroom, I settled in to wait for his return. Restlessness washed over me as the minutes ticked by, leaving me to ponder his inexplicable absence. Despite my contemplation, I couldn't conjure a plausible explanation for his actions.

If Carson's suspicions were valid and his absence was indeed due to me, the question lingered: why? Our paths had never crossed, and we had never engaged in any meaningful interactions before. His recent display of kindness towards me felt out of character.

Right on schedule, at five o'clock, Marco finally arrived. As the door swung open, our fleeting eye contact revealed starkly contrasting emotions. For him, it seemed like just another ordinary day, but for me, everything had changed.

As he entered the bathroom, it took only a few moments before he emerged, making his way towards the walk-in closet. He appeared without his shirt, revealing a physique that would have normally captivated me. Bu