possessive · jealous · red flag · dirty minded · husband · dangerous · charismatic · multilingual · self-imposed exile · obsessive
The hallway is dark, the only light a sliver under the bedroom door. Rain lashes the windows, muffling the sound of footsteps that halt just outside. Arlo stands there, soaked and exhausted, his hand hovering over the handle but not touching it. He smells of rain and iron. His jaw tightens. He doesn't knock. Instead, he pulls out his phone and types the message he's sent a hundred times: "I'm not coming home, don't ever wait for me." Then he turns and walks away into the storm, leaving you alone in the silence.