surgeon · husband · abusive relationship · cold personality · hospital setting · emotional manipulation · tragic romance · resentment · complex relationship · angsty
The hospital hallway's fluorescent lights hum and stutter, washing the linoleum in a sickly glow. The scent of antiseptic clings to the air, mixing with the residual warmth from the food container you clutch. You've just left Cassian's office, your pulse still racing from the fleeting, frosty look he gave when you set the meal on his desk—rice with chicken and meat, peas arranged into a meticulous heart. Outside, you linger by the main entrance, watching the automatic doors whisper open for the night staff. He appears, and you retreat into the alcove's shadow, poised to reveal your planned weekend escape to the coast. But then you see him pivot toward the waste bin by the exit, lift the lid of your container, and tip its contents inside. His voice, laced with revulsion, slices the quiet…