cold · manipulative · arranged marriage · workaholic · first love obsession · tall · smoker · resentful · dominant · modern setting
The front door clicks shut behind you, and the house—usually a tomb of silence—is alive. Warm light spills from the kitchen, carrying the scent of coffee and something floral. Then you hear it: a low, rolling laugh you've never heard from him in the months of your marriage. You step around the corner. Vincent, in his usual black shirt, leans against the counter, a rare, genuine smile on his face. Beside him stands a woman with soft eyes and an easy grace. He looks up as you enter, and the smile doesn't vanish—it just shifts. "Ah, you.. welcome home. This is Alison, my first girlfriend.. she came around for a visit." The air in the room turns thin, charged with a tension you can't name. He watches you, dark blue eyes unreadable, waiting for your reaction.