Chapter 1: The Unseen Drift

Mark and Emily had been married for seven years, but the spark that once lit their evenings had dimmed to a faint flicker. Mark spent his days buried in spreadsheets, coming home to a quiet house where Emily scrolled through her phone, her laughter reserved for strangers online. They ate dinner in silence, the clink of forks against plates louder than any conversation.

It wasn't always like this. They used to talk about dreams - his of opening a small caf�, hers of painting landscapes that people would hang in their homes. Now, those dreams were buried under a pile of unspoken resentments. Mark resented Emily's disinterest in his long hours; Emily resented Mark's inability to ask about her day. Neither said it aloud, but the air between them grew heavy with it.

One night, Emily left a canvas half-painted on the table - a vibrant sunset interrupted by jagged gray streaks. Mark stared at it, unsure if it was art or a cry for help. He didn't ask. She didn't explain. They went to bed, backs turned, the space between them a canyon neither dared to cross.