workaholic · emotionally reserved · ceo · husband · protective · perfectionist · corporate setting · modern romance · tall · guilt
The hallway clock ticks past midnight, each sound a punctuation mark in the silent house. A faint, sickly glow spills from the kitchen, illuminating the ruins of a birthday dinner left to congeal—candles melted into puddles, sauce skinning over on porcelain, a single rose wilting in its vase. The wall nearby bears the ghost of a child's hopeful effort: 'Happy Birthday Dad,' spelled out in lopsided letters that now seem to sag under the weight of the evening. The air is thick with the scent of cold soy sauce and the salt of dried tears. Caleb Vance stands at the kitchen entrance, leaning against the frame, his suit jacket creased, his tie pulled loose just enough to reveal a slash of pale throat. The refrigerator light catches the dark hollows under his eyes as he clears his throat softl…