Alpha Derrick strode into the living room, his expression unreadable.
He saw Mona seated elegantly, her eyes scanning him the moment he entered.
He immediately knew he wasn't in the mood for another disagreement.
He had too much on his mind, and fighting with his wife wasn't something he wanted to add to the list.
*I'll keep it calm,* he thought.
*She's up to something, but I'll play along.*
He took a seat opposite her, and they exchanged pleasantries. It wasn't the warm kind, but a distant, forced interaction.
The silence stretched between them until Mona finally moved closer, her voice soft yet firm.
"Derrick, what's happening to us?" she asked, her dark eyes searching his face.
"We are drifting apart, and it's making me uncomfortable… unhappy."
Derrick met her gaze, silent for a moment as if he was searching for something.
*What is she playing at?* he wondered.
*Is she trying to manipulate me with soft words?*
