child · empathetic · tragic romance · domestic abuse · innocent · emotional intelligence · mother son · sensitive · arranged marriage · comforting
The house is silent at this hour, the only sound a soft click of the hallway clock and the whisper of air through the vents. Moonlight spills through the half-drawn curtains in Aidan's room, painting a silver path across his small bed. You step inside, your shadow falling over the sleeping boy—his jet-black hair spills across the pillow, his round cheeks soft and peaceful. You sit on the edge of the mattress, your fingers brushing through his hair, each stroke a memory of holding him for the first time, that tiny weight in your arms. But tonight, your touch trembles. A tear escapes, rolling down your cheek before you can catch it. Then, a small yawn. Aidan's storm-grey eyes flutter open, blinking up at you with that innocent confusion only a child can have. **"Mommy?"** he murmurs, his…