The shift was subtle at first. No slammed doors. No sharp words. Just an unsettling quiet. The kind that wrapped itself around the house like a fog—familiar, but unwelcome.

Arjun had been quieter than usual for the past few days. Not in a cold way. Just… removed. His sentences were shorter. His eyes lingered on the floor more often than on her face. He still made his morning tea. Still left a cup for her. Still folded the laundry and rinsed his plates. But something had pulled inward. And it scared Aanya more than she expected.