Creative Conundrums

I. THE CRACK IN THE LENS Six years ago, the last bell of college rang like a door slamming shut. The campus erupted into noise and celebration, but for Adrian Cross and Tessa Hale, everything felt simple and certain. They were the kind of couple people noticed without trying—always in sync, always together, the type of love that looked effortless and real. Their friend group ran as one unit. Miles was the loud one, the comedy engine. Jonah was quiet and observant, always scanning a room without making it obvious. Cal was the mischievous wildcard, charming and reckless in the way some people mistake for fun. And Tessa was the center Adrian kept returning to—sharp, warm, grounded. That night, Cal pulled what he called a harmless prank. He staged a moment just believable enough to feel real. A perfectly timed picture. A setup involving a girl Adrian wasn’t even interested in. It wasn’t cheating. It wasn’t truth. But it looked close enough to reality that trust cracked instantly. Tessa saw...