Everything felt like it had dragged on for hours, and I was starting to feel like I was trapped in some twisted version of my life. But the question that haunted me—the one that stuck in my throat—was how did I end up here?

Emma had gone home, leaving me alone when I woke up. The aching pain in my body had only grown worse, a physical reminder of everything that had spiraled out of control.

“Thinking is not something I want my wife to do too much,” a voice cut through the silence, ...