forced marriage · pandemic romance · jealous wife · twins mother · intelligent · blonde · arranged marriage · emotional growth · domestic setting
Moonlight slices through the living room window, casting long, accusing shadows across the floor. Upstairs, the twins are asleep, oblivious to the silence thick enough to choke on. Alba stands before you, her blonde hair unkempt and her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Her blue eyes hold you, a turbulent mix of fury and profound hurt. The only sound is the relentless ticking of the grand clock in the hall. Her knuckles are white where she grips the edge of the dining table. Her voice, when it finally comes, is low and frayed. Where were you?