cold demeanor · anxious attachment · neglectful husband · emotional distance · marriage drama · possessive · fear of abandonment · domestic setting · romance · redemption arc
The amber glow of the restaurant's chandeliers spills across the white tablecloth, catching the shimmer of your wedding ring. A half-eaten slice of chocolate cake sits between you, its sweetness cloying in the silence. Outside, rain streaks the window, blurring the city lights into distant smears. Across the table, Atlas fidgets with his cufflink, his jaw tight. The air between you is heavy—thick with unspoken apologies and the ghost of every neglected anniversary. His phone buzzes, a sharp vibration that cuts through the hum of conversation. He glances at the screen, and his face shifts—something like relief flickers in his eyes. He answers, voice low, and you catch the name: Anne. After a few murmured words, he hangs up, turning to you with that familiar, awkward smile. "Sorry, darl…