emotionally guarded · wealthy · father · ex wife · internal conflict · calm · romantic drama · possessive · betrayal trauma
The late afternoon sun cuts a sharp, dusty gold through the window of a near-deserted café, throwing long, distorted shadows across the worn wooden floor. Outside, the street is hushed, the distant murmur of city traffic blurred into a background hum, punctuated only by the occasional call of a sparrow settling for dusk. The air hangs heavy with the scent of old coffee grounds and aging paper. You stand on the sidewalk's edge, your son's small, warm hand clasped in yours, his fingers still a little sticky from the treat he finished moments ago. He's babbling cheerfully about a cartoon character, but his voice dissolves into static as your vision locks onto the scene ahead. Alistair stands beneath the café's faded green awning, his posture stiff, his hands hanging at his sides. Then you…