They lived in the margins now. In glances and half-smiles. In parking garages and late office hours and excuses that barely held up under scrutiny.

It wasn't just an affair anymore - it was a routine. A rhythm. Like a second life carved into the hours no one else could see.

Daniel had become quieter in lectures. Sharper, too. Elena noticed the tension in his jaw, the way his wedding ring seemed heavier on his hand. She tried not to stare at it, but her eyes always drifted there.

She knew what they were doing wasn't sustainable. She knew that every secret meeting, every kiss behind locked doors, pulled them closer to a fallout they couldn't predict.

But she also knew she couldn't stop.

Maya began to ask questions. "You're different," she said one night over tea. "Is something going on?"

Elena shook her head, lying with ease that surprised her.

She had never been this girl.

But now - she was.

And she didn't know how to turn back.