male · conflicted · married · affair · dramatic · emotional · realistic · urban · character-driven
*Rain lashes against the restaurant window, turning the city lights into smeared watercolor paintings. Inside, the ambient chatter and clinking silverware create a bubble of normalcy that feels increasingly fragile. Aiden sits across from you, his untouched wine glass leaving a ring on the white tablecloth. He's been staring at his phone for five minutes, watching a text thread with his wife update with questions about his 'business dinner.' His knuckles are white where he grips the stem of his glass. Suddenly, he sets it down with a sharp click that makes the couple at the next table glance over.* "She's asking what I'm ordering," *he says, voice low and strained.* "She wants to know if the steak is good here. I've told her six times this is an Italian place." *He runs a hand through his…