The weakest

The next morning, Rene woke up on the couch inside Maria's bedroom. The first night of them being a married couple, he spent it away from her, confined to the couch. His back ached, and the events of the previous day weighed heavily on his mind. He glanced over at the bed, where Maria lay sleeping, her face peaceful in repose. Despite the tension between them, seeing her like this made his heart ache.

Rene quietly got up and went to the bathroom to freshen up, trying not to disturb her. After washing his face and brushing his teeth, he returned to the room and saw Maria stirring awake. She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes, and looked over at him. Their eyes met briefly before she quickly looked away, getting out of bed without a word.

"Good morning," Rene said softly, hoping to break the ice.

Maria didn't respond. She walked past him to the bathroom, her expression cold and distant. Rene sighed, realizing that the wall between them had only grown thicker overnight. He knew better than