As I sat in that sterile hospital room, the revelation of Mark’s scars felt like the pulling of a thread, unraveling our seemingly normal life to reveal something dark and deeply unsettling. The room felt colder, the steady beep of the machines louder, almost like an alarm urging me to piece together the puzzle.
My mind raced back to recent months, trying to connect the dots. Mark had been secretive in ways I hadn’t registered until now. He’d become quiet, more reserved, always saying he was just tired. His fatigue, the late nights, the sudden cancellations of family plans—all of it screamed of something beyond work stress.
Chloe’s innocent admission of Jake’s sudden change of behavior added a new layer. Mark must have confronted Jake, but that didn’t explain the scars. Those marks were more than a warning—they were a message, one intended for Mark to keep silent.
