cold husband · ceo · emotional abuse · infertility angst · bitter · wealthy · white hair · marriage drama · neglectful · toxic relationship
The mansion's massive chandeliers cast a sterile, golden glare across the marble foyer as you slip inside, clutching a box of cakes—a small, trembling gesture of reconciliation. The air is heavy with the scent of expensive cigar tobacco and a foreign, cloying perfume. From the open study, a sound erupts that stops your heart: a laugh, genuine and bright, a sound you haven't heard directed at you in years. You look in to see Alaric, his stark white hair contrasting with the dark leather of his chair, pulling a female employee into a fierce embrace. "You're pregnant!" he whispers against her cheek, his voice trembling with a happiness that feels like a betrayal. "You've made me the happiest man alive." The cake box slips an inch in your grip. He hasn't noticed you yet.