The faint click of the front door echoed through the quiet apartment, followed by the soft creak of its hinges. Brandon barely noticed at first, too focused on the meal he was preparing. It was earlier than usual for Natalia to be home, but he brushed off his mild surprise and continued cooking, the rich aroma filling the air.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of her standing near the doorway. Something was off. Natalia looked distant, her gaze unfocused, as though her mind was far away. Normally, he would have let her stay lost in her thoughts, but tonight, there was an unspoken tension in the air, thick and undeniable. His instincts stirred with unease, but he forced himself to push it aside. Tonight wasn't about whatever was troubling her. Tonight was supposed to be special—their date night.
"Good way to ruin your surprise, babe," Brandon teased, keeping his attention on the sizzling pan. He expected a playful retort, but all he got in return was a distracted hum.
He glanced at her, and she forced a smile—wide, bright, yet not entirely convincing. Maybe it was just work stress. It had to be. She had been buried in that new case, the one that made him uneasy for reasons she didn't know.
As Natalia moved toward the bedroom, likely to freshen up, Brandon turned back to his cooking, fully immersing himself in the process. He wanted everything to be perfect tonight. After setting the table meticulously, he lit the candles, their glow adding the romantic ambiance he had planned.
He hurriedly went to change, shaking off the lingering feeling that something was wrong. Whatever it was, tonight was about them, and he refused to let anything ruin it. After a final check of the setup, he settled into place, waiting for Natalia to return.
When she finally stepped into the dining area, her smile was wide, but there was a flicker of nervousness beneath it. Brandon couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. He walked up to her, leaning in close, whispering with playful intent.
"Good way to ruin your surprise by coming home early," he teased again, hoping to coax a genuine smile out of her.
"Sorry, I got caught up in work. I didn't get any time to message," she said quickly, her words rushed and uneven.
Brandon narrowed his eyes slightly but decided to let it go. "Alright, let's not ruin our date night," she added, flashing another smile. But there was something lurking beneath it—hesitation, or maybe even fear.
He chose not to press further and instead guided her to the table, serving the meal he had worked so hard on. Just as he was starting to relax, her question came.
"So, Brandon… how's your work going?" she asked casually, but her tone didn't quite match the nonchalance of the words.
He froze for a split second before continuing to serve, masking his reaction. A strange unease settled in his stomach. Natalia rarely asked about his work this directly.
"Good," he replied, keeping his tone deliberately neutral. If something was going on, he needed to act normal. "How about you? How's the new case coming along?"
"New case?" she echoed, her brow furrowing slightly.
"Yeah, the one you were telling me about yesterday," he prompted, taking a bite of food, trying to sound casual.
"Oh, no luck. Still investigating," she replied, but her words felt too quick, too rehearsed. She wasn't looking at him.
Brandon felt the weight of the silence between them. She was lying. He didn't know why, but he could feel it. He leaned back slightly, keeping his expression reassuring. "Ohh, you'll figure it out. Don't stress," he said lightly, even as his mind raced with suspicions.
Dinner passed in near silence. He observed Natalia closely, watching the way she stared off in thought, lost somewhere far from their table.
After dinner, they cleaned up together, neither speaking much. When Brandon finished, he turned to find Natalia still at the sink, washing dishes. Feeling his presence, she turned to face him. Even amidst the tension, she looked breathtaking—her slightly messy hair, the flicker of frustration in her eyes, the subtle nervous energy that made her even more captivating.
Brandon couldn't resist her. He stepped closer, savoring the moment, letting himself drown in her presence. Whatever was on her mind, he wanted to be lost in her instead. She leaned in, surrendering to him.
When she finally pulled back, breathless, she quickly turned away, washing her hands as if trying to ground herself. But Brandon had no patience. His hands found her waist, pulling her back to him. Yet, something in her was different tonight. His instincts screamed at him to pay attention.
Her voice finally broke the silence.
"Brandon, can we talk?" Natalia asked, her voice tinged with hesitation as she took a deep breath, steeling herself for whatever was coming next.
He studied her for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, sure, Nat."
"I just need to finish this up first," she said, motioning to the dishes.
Brandon hesitated, then gave a small nod and stepped away. "Okay. I'll be in the living room."
He walked over to the couch, sinking into it with a sigh, absently scrolling through his phone. His gaze drifted around the room before landing on Natalia's phone on the coffee table.
For a moment, curiosity surged within him. He could easily check. A quick glance, just to ease his growing suspicion. But then he shook his head, shoving the thought away.
It wasn't his place.
And yet… something was definitely wrong.