Kain sat on the living room couch, his eyes fixed on the ticking wall clock. It was 6:15 PM. Naya was never this late. She usually sent a quick message if she was running behind, even by a few minutes. But today—nothing. He had tried calling twice; her phone rang but wasn't picked up.
His restlessness built.
By 6:45, he could no longer sit still. He grabbed his keys and headed straight to her office. The receptionist at the front desk offered a polite but vague smile. "Miss Naya left early today," she said without elaborating.
"Did she say where she was going?" Kain asked, his voice more anxious than he intended.
"No, sir. She just signed out and left."
That was all he got.
Driving back home, Kain's thoughts spiraled. Who could he call? Did she have any family around? He realized, with a sinking feeling, that he had no one to contact on her behalf. No friend he knew of. No sibling, no cousin. Not even a best friend. He'd never seen her receive personal calls. She kept to herself and had always been that way.
"What kind of husband am I?" he muttered, gritting his teeth.
The house was quiet when he returned. Tami was drawing in the living room, her pencils spread out like a colorful storm, her passion for art very glaring. Her young face looked up when Kain walked in.
"Where's Naya?" she asked with a little pout.
"She'll be back soon," Kain replied, forcing a calmness he didn't feel.
He paced the floor. Time crawled. 7:30. 8:00. 8:45. Still no sign of her.
Then at 9:04 PM, the sound of the front door creaked open. Kain jumped up.
There she was—Naya. Her hair was damp from the rain, her eyes red and swollen, her body pale and drained.
"Naya!" Kain crossed the room in three long strides. "Where have you been?"
"I... I needed air," she said, her voice quiet, almost hoarse.
Her clothes were different—clearly not hers. A loose hoodie and soft pajama pants.
"Where did you go? You weren't at work, and your phone—"
"I went to see... Zara, my friend" she said, slowly untying her sneakers. "I needed to be with someone. Just for a little while."
Kain watched her closely. "Did something happen? What's going on?"
She hesitated, the truth on the tip of her tongue. But then she stepped away.
"I lost a deal today. It was exhausting. I just... needed to breathe."
He didn't believe her, but he saw the fatigue in her shoulders. The lie was transparent, but he decided not to push.
Tami came running. "Naya!" she squealed.
Naya bent low to hug her tightly. "Hey, baby. Did you miss me?"
Tami nodded, then looked up. "Your eyes are red. Did someone hurt you?"
"No, sweetie. Just tired."
Tami offered a little frown but didn't press. "Look at my drawing!"
She pulled a folded sketchbook from the table. It was a picture of a smiling rainbow with arms and legs, holding a ice cream cone, and she called it 'Rainbow's Sweet Treat'
The drawing was charmingly naive. Naya smiled faintly.
"She's got your talent," Naya said to Kain.
"I think she's even better," he replied, watching the pride in Tami's eyes.
Naya kissed Tami on the forehead. "Goodnight, princess. I'm really tired tonight."
"Okay," Tami whispered, accepting the hug with care. She seemed to sense the heaviness.
Naya went straight to their bedroom and collapsed on the bed. Kain entered slowly behind her.
"You want to talk about it?" he asked again, more softly now.
"I just need to sleep," she mumbled, curling onto her side.
Kain noticed her hands trembling slightly as she tugged the covers over her body.
He turned off the light and sat beside her on the bed in silence. The house was dark, but his thoughts were loud.
Back in Zara's apartment hours earlier, Naya had broken down. She had stood by the door dripping wet before Zara even opened it fully.
"Naya?"
"I just needed to see you," Naya had whispered, her voice cracking.
Zara didn't ask a thing. She ushered her in, wrapped her in warm clothes, made hot coffee, and held her while she cried.
Zara knew better than to pry. She had seen Naya cry once before—when she failed her first college entrance exam. This was the second time, and whatever it was, it cut deep.
Naya had wanted to talk. She had opened her mouth several times, but the words felt like glass on her tongue. Instead, she let herself be comforted, surrounded by silence and warmth. When she finally stood to leave, Zara only nodded.
"Whatever it is," Zara had said, brushing Naya's hair away from her face, "you're stronger than it."
And Naya had nodded. Just nodded.
Now, lying in her own bed beside a man who loved her deeply, Naya still couldn't speak. Her mind swirled with everything—Clarissa's words, her colleagues' judgmental stares, and the shame that stuck to her skin.
She wanted to believe Kain's love was enough. But doubt had burrowed in, and it refused to let go.
She shut her eyes tightly, hoping sleep would silence the storm. But even as her body sank into the mattress, her heart remained wide awake.
And Kain? He sat in the dark, one hand gently resting on her back, hoping she'd let him in soon enough.