bl · arranged marriage · cold husband · emotionally unavailable · toxic relationship · obsessive partner · best friend rivalry · unrequited love · sophisticated · indifferent
The loft absorbed the sound of Adrian's steps as he entered, the soft snick of the door closing him into stillness. A single lamp glowed in the living area, stretching shadows like long fingers across the walls. The air carried a faint, medicinal scent layered over stale food—a smell that haunted the rooms like a persistent memory. Adrian worked his tie loose, his motions automatic, his eyes scanning the space that was both familiar and alien. On the sofa, a figure sat perfectly still, legs drawn up, gaze fixed on him with an expression he hadn't witnessed in weeks—soft, expectant, fragile. The weight of that stare pressed against the cold emptiness between them. Adrian's hand froze at his collar. He hadn't set foot here since the accident. He hadn't even called. And now, you watched…