Chapter 2: Rising Action
"I can show my phone? Would that help me if I said I'm not cheating on you at least I don't think I am?" Emily says "would you say taking pictures with a guy friend is cheating?" Her eyes widen expectantly. Tim grunts and sighs all at once, "Fine, show me the photos, but I swear to God if it's what I think it is, Emily, I-" He raises his hand to his head as if to restrain himself from unloading a volley of frustrated words at her.
"It's not what you think," she murmurs, her voice trembling ever so slightly. She picks up her phone and unlocks it, opening the gallery. She scrolls through the intimate scenes on display until she reaches the one she has been looking for.
The gallery displays a series of candid photos of Emily with a man named Alex, her arm flung around his broad shoulders as they laugh at something one of them said. The photo is taken from across the street, and the perspective is warped, but you can see their faces, happy and unguarded.
Emily's dimples dance as she finds common ground with Alex, her expression joyful, and bereft of deceit. Tim sees her face, and his dark eyes narrow, a flicker of rage igniting within him.
Emily watches the anger cross Tim's face before swiftly changing his expression to silence. The conversation comes to a standstill. He grabs the phone from Emily's trembling hands, and the screen flickers to life. Her palms are clammy as he scrolls through the images.
"I have more pictures?" Emily says tentatively.
"Who the fuck is this guy?" Tim's voice boomed through the quiet room as he seethed in anger.
"Just a friend, Tim. I met him at-"
Before she could finish, Tim stood and paced the room, anger bristling from every pore. Emily's heart raced. Guilt surged through her body with each step he took. She suddenly felt very naked and exposed.
"This isn't what it looks like, I swear." She murmured weakly.
Tim faced her, dark eyes blazing.