Returning home, Laura shrugged off her heavy wool coat, its fabric still carrying the chill of winter, and placed it carefully on the hanger. The warm glow of her villa felt oddly hollow today, its cozy tones doing little to soothe the unease twisting in her chest. She slipped into her well-worn loungewear, the soft fabric brushing against her skin as she moved mechanically, her mind already elsewhere.
Her gaze fell on the dining table, cluttered with a thick stack of documents. Each page represented months of painstaking research and countless sleepless nights, culminating in a draft of her academic paper.
The stakes were high. If the paper were accepted into an SCI Tier 1 journal—those prestigious publications that defined excellence in her field—it would open the doors to the PhD program in AI robotics at Technische Universität München. A place at the top-ranked university wasn't just a dream; it was her ticket to building the future she'd envisioned since childhood.
Laura's passion for robotics was deep-rooted, but her fiancé Hector had always dismissed it with a patronizing air, deeming the domestic robotics industry unworthy of serious effort. Despite his lack of support, Laura pursued her aspirations in secret, taking on part-time work at the Oakmont Robotics Institute. There, amidst humanoid prototypes and cutting-edge algorithms, she found fleeting moments of fulfillment.
She sighed, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face, and reached for the documents. She needed the distraction. As she flipped through the pages, immersing herself in equations and technical jargon, a faint buzz disrupted her focus.
Her phone screen lit up.
A message.
Her heart pounded as her eyes landed on the sender's name—Olivia. The pang of foreboding was instant and sharp. She hesitated, her thumb hovering above the screen. Then, as if compelled by an invisible force, she tapped it open.
The image hit her like a punch to the gut.
The background was unmistakable: the opulent interiors of a luxury suite at The Ritz-Carlton. At the center of the frame stood Hector, his expression relaxed, almost smug. Kneeling beside him, Olivia donned a scandalous reindeer costume, her blue contact lenses amplifying the seduction in her gaze as she posed provocatively for the camera.
A sharp, searing pain coursed through Laura's chest, her breath catching in her throat. Her hands trembled so violently she nearly dropped the phone. She shut her eyes, as though darkness could erase the image seared into her mind. For a moment, she stood frozen, her heart battling a storm of disbelief and anguish.
She powered off her phone with trembling fingers and slumped onto the couch, her body heavy with exhaustion and heartbreak. Sleep, when it finally came, was restless and punctuated by fragments of unwelcome memories.
The next morning, the glow of the screen greeted her as soon as she turned the device back on. Another message from Olivia.
Her pulse quickened, dread pooling in her stomach as she opened it.
[Merry Christmas, Laura. Last night, Santa had an amazing time with me. By the way, you probably weren't that tired by yourself. Unlike me, this little reindeer could barely walk by the end of it—couldn't even stand without him holding me while we finished.]
The words stabbed deep, twisting the knife of betrayal further. Laura clutched the phone, her knuckles white, as tears rolled down her cheeks in silent agony. She didn't sob or wail. The pain was too raw for that—it was the kind that hollowed you out from the inside.
When Hector came home later that day, the air in the apartment felt different. Normally, Laura would be out jogging, her absence a part of their routine. But today, the curtains remained drawn, shrouding the space in muted light.
Hector approached her quietly, finding her curled up on the bed. He slid his arms around her from behind, his voice soft and warm.
"Why didn't you go jogging?"
Laura quickly swiped at the tears lingering at the corners of her eyes, turning to face him with a forced smile.
"I stayed up too late reading papers last night. I'm a bit tired."
Hector chuckled, ruffling her hair affectionately. "Then rest today. Don't push yourself. I'll order some takeout—your favorite."
***
In an attempt to make up for his absence during Christmas, Hector planned a New Year's camping trip to the countryside, joining an exclusive event organized by the Moss family, close friends and influential real estate tycoons.
The Mosses was known for their wealth, but Hector had carved his own path, showcasing extraordinary talent in computer science since childhood. His deal with his family was straightforward: if he could achieve significant milestones in his field, he wouldn't have to return to inherit the family empire until he was 40.
True to his word, Hector excelled. Graduating from MIT and joining the faculty soon after, he became a professor within three years—a recognized authority in the tech world.
Laura, meanwhile, had chosen a hardware engineering path, not out of passion but out of necessity to keep pace with Hector. Despite her initial reservations, she thrived, working tirelessly to become his trusted research partner.
At the campsite, surrounded by the crisp scent of pine and under a sprawling canvas of stars, Hector picked up a fresh orange from the fruit platter. Using a small knife, he meticulously cut into the skin, peeling it away in a perfect spiral. The sweet aroma of citrus wafted through the cool night air.
He placed the segments neatly on a plate and handed it to Laura, his voice low and tender.
"Here you go. Eat this—you've been quiet all evening."
