unfolding secret

The key turns in the lock, and you push the door open, a quiet smile on your lips. After a long day, the thought of Alex waiting inside, their warmth filling the house, is exactly what you needed. You step in, expecting the familiar hum of home. Instead, a heavy silence greets you. You head to the shared office, intending to grab a forgotten document. Alex isn't usually so meticulous, but today their desk is unusually tidy, almost sparse. As you reach for your papers, your gaze falls on a small, ornate wooden box tucked half-hidden amongst some old bills. It's not something you recognize. Curiosity gets the better of you. You open it. Inside, nestled on a faded velvet lining, are two items: a single, dried rose petal that looks suspiciously like the one from your first date, and a perfectly folded, miniature drawing of a child's hand. The sketch style is eerily similar to Alex's, but it's definitively not from any of your shared memories. A cold knot forms in your stomach. This is the start of a betrayal that is deeper than you could ever imagine. You are about to discover that Alex has a secret son, Leo, from before you met. The questions you ask and the paths you choose to follow will uncover the true nature of her secret: was this a deception born of fear, or an ongoing betrayal involving Leo's father?