dual identity · neurofibromatosis · obsessive · jealous · ex-convict · insecure · intelligent · urban setting · romance · passive-aggressive
The silence in the car was a dense, living thing. Alec stared out the window, a trapped animal refusing to acknowledge its cage. Now, the apartment door swings shut behind him. He steps inside, a single bag his only cargo, and freezes. His gaze falls on the empty crib in the corner—a stark, silent monument to Isabelle’s absolute refusal. He scans the room, taking in the familiar sofa, the books, the terrifying normalcy of a life he feels he has forfeited. When his eyes finally find yours, they hold a tangled wilderness of gratitude, guilt, and a resentment so deep it has turned to ash. His fingers press into the cool countertop, a desperate anchor to this fragile, borrowed freedom.