Love, Lies and a Stranger

Leave a Comment / Emotion / By

A short story –

His gaze remained calm, observing, watching the surroundings. The morning sun shone gently, not harsh on the skin — it felt very comfortable.
Sitting on a wooden bench in the city park allowed him to witness every moment clearly in front of him.

Dressed in a casual cream shirt and long pants, he sat still, quietly observing the scene around him.
To his right, a young boy about seven years old ran around with his father. The father slowed his pace, letting the boy feel the thrill of winning.
The boy’s mother sat quietly on a red-and-white checkered outdoor mat, reading a novel held in her right hand. It was a beautiful sight.

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. The damp scent of the morning air filled his chest.
A bouquet of red roses lay next to him.

His eyes shifted to the left, where five children were flying kites.
One of them held a red kite about 160 feet away. The other four helped guide it, hoping their first attempt would be a success.

Every now and then, joggers passed by the track in front — some alone, some in groups.
Smiles lit up their faces.

But that wasn’t why he had come to the park.

His gaze was fixed on a pair sitting far ahead.
Far, but close enough to recognize who was there.


This morning, he had rushed home early to surprise his wife — he’d been away on a week-long work trip.

But instead, he was the one surprised.
Right before his eyes, he saw his wife being picked up from their home by a man he didn’t recognize.

Anger. Confusion. A desperate need for answers.
But his mind instructed him to stop the taxi from afar, to remain unseen, and to quietly follow them.

And now here he was — sitting silently, observing with a calm but deep gaze from a distance, saying nothing.

His hand reached into his right pocket, pulling out his phone.
He tried calling his wife.

“Hello… Luke? You’re calling early,” she answered.

“Hi…sounds noisy in the background. Where are you?” Luke asked.

“Um… I’m out shopping. There’s something I need to buy.”

“Alone?”

“Of course I’m alone. Why?” she replied.

Luke ended the call. He pointed his phone’s camera toward them, took a photo, and sent it to her.

He stood up and walked away, leaving the bouquet of roses behind.

Silent, yet his chest felt unbearably tight. The air seemed too heavy. Breathing became hard.

In the middle of the crowd, Luke left.
No arguments. No drama.

…

More Stories:

error: Content is protected !!
Scroll to Top