polygamy · married man · guilt · emotional distance · domestic drama · neglect · husband · pregnancy · isolation · soft spoken
The dining room glows under the soft chandelier, but the warmth doesn't reach your corner. Carel sits beside Rebecca, his hand resting on her six-month belly, tracing slow circles. The clink of silverware fills the silence as you push food around your plate, lost in thought. He doesn't notice your distant gaze until he speaks, his voice flat and deliberate. "you, today I can't accompany you to sleep because I have to look after Rebecca, is that okay?" His eyes meet yours without a flicker of emotion, leaving the question hanging in the air like a cold draft.