Heartprints in the Void
⊰ 6 ⊱ Between the Lines

The soft clink of silverware against plates fills the air, the only sound breaking the uncomfortable silence that has settled over the dinner table. I glance between Cade and Ava, my heart sinking as I watch them studiously avoid each other's

gaze. *This isn't how I imagined our evening would go...*

Tonight is the complete opposite of the first time I introduced Cade to Ava back in college. I remember the laughter, the easy conversation, the way Ava had teased me mercilessly about landing such a "catch." Now, the air is thick with tension, unspoken words hanging heavy between us.

The smell of perfectly cooked steak wafts up from my plate, but my appetite has vanished. I take a sip of red wine, hoping the rich, velvety liquid will calm my nerves.

"So, Ava," I say, desperate to break the silence. "How's your research going? Any exciting breakthroughs?"

Ava looks up from her plate, her fork pausing midway to her mouth. Her smile doesn't quite reach her eyes, shadowed with something I can't quite read. "Oh, you know. Same old, same old. Still trying to unravel the mysteries of the human mind."

I nod, waiting for Cade to chime in with a question or comment. But he remains silent, his focus seemingly entirely on cutting his steak into perfectly uniform pieces.

"And what about you, Cade?" I turn to my husband, hoping to draw him into the conversation. The candlelight flickers across his face, highlighting the tension in his jaw. "Any interesting projects at work?"

Cade shrugs, his eyes never leaving his plate. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Just the usual corporate politics and deadlines."

The conversation dies again, and I feel a familiar frustration bubbling up inside me.

*What is going on with these two?*

It's like they're avoiding any interaction with each other. And after a few more failed attempts at sparkling dialogue, I give up. We finish our meal in silence, the only sounds the scrape of utensils and the occasional sip of wine.

As we drive home, the silence in the car is deafening. The hum of the engine and the soft swish of tires on asphalt only emphasize the lack of conversation. I glance at Cade, his jaw set in a tight line as he focuses on the road. The streetlights cast alternating patterns of light and shadow across his face, making him look almost like a stranger.

In the rearview mirror, I catch sight of Ava. She's slouched in the backseat, her gaze fixed out the window, lost in thought. The passing lights illuminate her face intermittently, revealing a sadness that makes my heart ache.

I want to scream, to demand answers. The tension is eating away at me, gnawing at my insides. But as I look between them, I hesitate. Should I confront them both together? Or wait and try to speak to Cade alone?

I think back to yesterday, how he had come home late, exhaustion etched into every line of his face. I hadn't wanted to burden him then, but now I'm regretting my decision to wait.

By the time we pull into the driveway, the gravel crunching under the tires, I've made up my mind. I'll wait, just a little longer. Give them both a chance to come clean on their own. Maribel greets us at the door, her kind face a welcome sight after the tense evening.

"Mr. Sinclair," she says, her voice low. "Naomi was a bit fussy before bed, but she eventually settled down. She's sleeping soundly now."

Cade nods, the first real smile I've seen from him all evening spreading across his face. "Thank you, Maribel. We appreciate you staying late."

As Maribel gathers her things and leaves, the click of the front door echoing in the foyer, Ava excuses herself. "I think I'll turn in early," she says, not meeting my eyes. "Goodnight, both of you."

And then it's just Cade and me. We check on Naomi, her peaceful sleeping face a balm to my frayed nerves. The soft sound of her breathing and the faint scent of lavender momentarily push away my worries. But as we enter our bedroom, closing the door with a soft click, the tension returns full force.

I watch as Cade loosens his tie, the silk whisper-soft as it slides from his neck. He shrugs out of his jacket, draping it over the back of a chair. The familiar routine feels suddenly foreign, as if I'm watching a stranger go through the motions. "Cade," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "What is going on between you and Ava?"

He freezes, his back to me. For a moment, I think he's going to brush me off, to tell me I'm imagining things. But then he turns, his eyes meeting mine with an intensity that makes my breath hitch in my throat.

"I'm giving her the chance to tell you herself," he says, his voice low and serious.

My heart skips a beat. "Tell me what? What's going on?"

Cade sighs, his gaze dropping to the floor before returning to my face. "She should be the one to tell you, Ely. Trust me on this."

The implications of his words hit me like a physical blow. My mind races, conjuring up worst-case scenarios. The room suddenly feels too warm, too small. Before I can stop myself, the question I've been dreading to ask tumbles from my lips. "Did you... did you sleep with her? After-"

"No." Cade's voice cuts through my spiral, harsh and final. His face is hard, eyes blazing with something I can't quite place. Disbelief? Anger? Betrayal? "Absolutely not."

I open my mouth to speak, but he continues, his words coming fast and fierce. "I would never do that to you, Elysian. Never. How could you even think that?"

Shame washes over me, hot and uncomfortable. "I'm sorry," I whisper, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. "I just... you once said you could never hate me, and then -"

"Stop." His voice is tight, controlled, but I can see the anger simmering just beneath the surface. He's trying so hard to hold it together, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, and the realization only makes me feel worse. *I shouldn't have asked that. I fucked up.*

"I'm sorry," I say again, reaching out to him. But he steps back, shaking his head.

"I'm going to take a shower," he says, his voice flat. And then he's gone, the bathroom door closing behind him with a finality that makes my heart ache.

I sink into the bed, the soft mattress offering little comfort. I bury my head in my hands, feeling the cool metal of my wedding ring against my cheek.

*Why do I have to be so damn insecure?*

The sound of the shower running fills the silence, and I find myself straining to hear any other noise, any indication of Cade's state of mind. But there's nothing beyond the steady patter of water.

I think back to the past few days, trying to remember how happy we were before things began to unravel... before Ava got here.

*What is she hiding from me? She's supposed to be my best friend. What could be so bad that my own husband doesn't want to interact with her?*

The shower turns off, and I brace myself for Cade's return. But minutes pass, and the bathroom door remains closed. I can picture him in there, hands braced on the sink, staring at his reflection as he tries to compose himself.

Finally, the door opens, releasing a cloud of steam that carries the fresh scent of soap. Cade emerges, a towel wrapped around his waist, water droplets still clinging to his skin. His eyes meet mine, and the pain I see there nearly undoes me. "Cade, I" I begin, but he holds up a hand, cutting me off.

"Stop," he says, his voice low and controlled. "I'm done with this conversation, Elysian. We both need to stop before we say things we shouldn't."

The finality in his tone hits me like a physical blow. I feel the tears I've been holding back start to well up, a mixture of frustration, anger, and hurt swirling inside me.

"Okay," I whisper, my voice barely audible.

I stand up abruptly, needing to put some distance between us. Without looking at Cade, I stride towards the bathroom, my movements stiff and jerky. The plush carpet muffles my footsteps, but each step feels like it echoes in the tense silence. As I reach the door, I pause for a split second, my hand on the cool metal doorknob. A part of me hopes he'll call out, that he'll stop me and we can talk this through.

But he doesn't.

With a surge of emotion I can't quite name, I step into the bathroom and slam the door behind me. The sound echoes in the tiled space, matching the thundering of my heart. The air is still warm and damp from Cade's shower, the mirror fogged over.

I lean against the closed door, finally allowing the tears to fall. They stream down my face, hot and silent, leaving salty trails on my skin. *How did we get here?*