"What?!" I couldn't help but scream out. "Why?!" Panic surged within me; only one thought went through my head – I have to log out and protect myself at all costs. My body trembled as I opened the menu, my virtual fingers racing to find the logout button. My mind raced in parallel, trying to comprehend the ominous message about the police being dispatched to my location. The urgency of the situation was palpable, the virtual world around me fading to insignificance in the face of this real-life crisis.

I finally found the button in question, my virtual hand trembling as it hovered over it. Without a moment of hesitation, I touched it. The world around me seemed to shimmer, and the game dissolved into darkness. I was left with a disorienting sense of transition, hoping that I was not too late to escape whatever danger had prompted this alarming notification.

My chest was bare and my breasts were being roughly fondled, but I was calm as the perpetrator was none other than my husband. “What the hell are you doing?” I was angry and my voice reflected my feelings. It was as cold as the nights of a desert. “No, don’t tell me, you can tell it to the police once they arrive.”

"Pa—Pandora?" Epi was clearly confused but for reasons that he only himself knew.

"Get off me, now!" I kicked Epi away, and he fell to the floor with a THUD. "I am going to eat out!" I stormed out of the house and called my manager. "Do you want to grab a bite to eat?"

“What happened, Pandora?” my manager asked. “You sound upset?”

“Forget it,” I said. “I’ll eat alone.”

“Pandora wa—"

I went to my favorite restaurant, an unpopular place that I cherished for its quiet and solitude. The small, dimly lit establishment had only a few occupied tables, casting a calming atmosphere over the space. As I entered, the soft murmur of conversation greeted me, and I took a seat at my usual corner table.

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The menu, with its comforting selection of dishes, was a familiar sight. I ordered my go-to comfort food and tried to focus on the simple pleasure of a delicious meal while pushing aside the unsettling events that transpired.

While I waited for my food, a high school student from one of the nearby tables, a sixteen-year-old, suddenly approached mine with an awkward, stuttering manner that immediately drew the attention of everyone in the quiet restaurant. "EXCUSE ME!" I turned my gaze toward him, and I noticed that the other diners had done the same.

“HeY bAbE WoUlD yOu LiKe To—"

“Sit,” I said interrupting his words. “I need company and in return, I will make you look cool in front of your classmates.”

The young boy stammered his thanks, his excitement evident. "Th-thank you," he managed to say. "I, uh, really appreciate it. My friends won't believe this."

“Not only they,” I said, smiling. “My name is Pandora, and what about you?”

“I’m Daniel,” he replied with a grin, “And uhm do you mind if I sat next to you?”

"Make yourself comfortable," I said with a welcoming gesture.

“Thank god I lost the bet,” Daniel couldn’t help but say.

"What was that?" I asked, intrigued.

“It—s nothing,” Daniel mumbled, taking a seat beside me, just inches away.

"What do you want to talk about?" I asked. "I know, do you play COD?"

“You play COD too?” Daniel said with clear surprise in his voice, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

“I just started actually,” I replied. "It's been quite the journey, from character creation to me getting the knight job. What about you?"

“I am already max level,” Daniel said proudly. “But I can create a new character, that is if you want to play together?”

I couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm and then I said, “I’ll play with you, and not my husband.”

Daniel grinned, clearly excited about something. The restaurant's calm and welcoming atmosphere provided the perfect backdrop for forging new friendships, and I was grateful for this unexpected connection amidst the chaos that had unfolded earlier in the day.

When I returned home, my husband was not there; I shrugged my shoulders and went to bed.