After David left, Emma felt a sudden strange emptiness in the house. She tried to distract herself by doing something simpleanything to keep her mind from wandering. She began tidying up, folding Davids shirts and placing them neatly in the laundry basket. The simple task gave her something to focus on, but as she picked up a particularly crumpled shirt, something in the air caught her attention. A faint scent lingered in the room, one that wasnt hers. It was floral, sweet, and unmistakably feminine. Perfume, she thought, her pulse quickening. Her mind raced as she turned the shirt over in her hands, inhaling deeply. It wasnt her perfume; in fact, it didnt even resemble anything she wore. She froze. What was this? The smell felt foreign, out of place. Her heart hammered in her chest, and an uncomfortable tension settled in her stomach. The perfume was subtle, almost as if it had been transferred to the fabric by accident, but the thought that it was someone elses scentsomeone elses presencemade her stomach twist. She couldnt just ignore it. Without thinking, she reached for her phone, dialing her best friends number. The phone rang, and as soon as the call connected, Emma couldnt hold back. Sophie, I need to talk to you. Somethings wrong. Sophie, who had always been Emmas pillar of support, didnt waste any time. Im on my way, she said. It didnt take long for Sophie to arrive, her steps echoing through the hallway as she made her way into the living room. Emma was sitting on the couch, her phone in hand, her face pale and strained.