The news

As Samuel stepped out of his room, he saw Zinnia emerging from hers. Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, the air between them thickened with unspoken questions.

Samuel wanted to ask her about James. If she had loved someone else, why had she agreed to marry him? Though they were only engaged and not yet married, why had she stayed with him for the past three years, despite the mockery from his so-called friends?

Did he have the right to be angry about this sudden revelation? His emotions were tangled—he felt lost.

Zinnia hesitated, her eyes holding questions of their own. Samuel opened his mouth to speak, but the words stuck in his throat. He didn't know what to say, how to confront her, or even how to face his own feelings.

He was drowning in confusion.

Zinnia broke the silence first. "Samuel, are you okay?"

Samuel nodded stiffly, forcing a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I'm fine," he said, his voice flat and cold.