I figured it was the perfect chance to surprise my wife. On my way home to Houston, I stopped by a nearby grocery store and bought a case of imported organic milk. The doctor had said it would help her recover faster after childbirth. I kept imagining the smile on her face when she saw me walk in early, and it put me in a good mood the whole drive home.

But when I got there, I noticed the front door was slightly open.

The house was strangely quiet.

Maybe the baby had finally fallen asleep after crying for hours. My mom was probably out for a walk or chatting with the neighbors like she usually did in the mornings.

I stepped inside quietly, set the milk on the table, and headed toward the kitchen, planning to heat something up for my wife.

But as I reached the kitchen doorway…

I froze.

Emily was sitting in the corner of the table, hunched over, eating in a hurried, almost secretive way.

She held a large bowl in her hands.

She was eating fast—too fast—like she hadn’t eaten in days. Between bites, she wiped tears from her face. Every few seconds, she glanced nervously toward the door, as if she was afraid someone might catch her.

I frowned.

Why was she hiding?

I stepped in and said sharply, “What are you doing? Why are you eating like that? Are you eating something you’re not supposed to?”

She jumped, the spoon slipping from her hand and clattering to the floor. When she saw me, her face went pale.

“J-Jake… why are you home so early?” she stammered. “I… I was just having lunch…”

I didn’t respond. I walked over and took the bowl from her hands.

And the moment I looked inside…

My heart nearly stopped.

There was no real food in it.

Just dry, yellowed rice mixed with fish scraps—bones and heads. Something you wouldn’t even serve to a stray animal.

My entire body went cold.

Why… was my wife eating this?

The silence in the kitchen felt suffocating.

“What is this?” I asked quietly.

Emily didn’t answer. Her hands trembled on the table, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.

“Emily,” I said again, more firmly. “Why are you eating this?”

She lowered her head. “It’s nothing… I was just a little hungry.”

“Don’t lie to me!”

My voice came out louder than I meant. From the other room, the baby stirred, then went quiet again.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.