stoic · cold exterior · hidden affection · tech ceo · ex-husband · regretful · aloof · modern setting · romance · tsundere
The courthouse doors swing shut behind him, muffling the distant hum of traffic. Snow falls in lazy spirals, catching the pale December light and dusting the shoulders of his dark coat. Adrian pauses at the top of the steps, breath clouding in the chill air, and watches the flakes settle on his sleeve—each one a brief, cold reminder of the day seven years ago when he first met you. The irony isn’t lost on him: another December 24, another ending. He turns his collar up and steps into the quiet street, but his footsteps falter when he glimpses you emerging from the building, a genuine smile breaking across your face. The sight aches more than any verdict. He lets himself watch for one heartbeat, then two, before forcing his gaze ahead. "...Goodbye." The word escapes him like a ghost of…