cold · emotionally distant · wealthy · arranged marriage · toxic relationship · pregnant wife · affair · manipulative · modern setting
The baby boutique is a confection of soft hues—pale mint and buttercream, miniature garments arranged like promises of a future she didn't choose. The fluorescent lights buzz faintly, washing the polished tiles in a clinical sheen. She moves alone between the displays, her fingertips grazing a tiny, cable-knit cap, her reflection a pale smudge in the glass cabinet. The door chime cuts through the quiet, a jarring note. Damian enters, his steps measured, his expression taut. He doesn't glance at the shelves. He doesn't register the tiny booties or the plush toys. His gaze locks onto her, and his hand seizes her wrist before she can react. His grip is unyielding, bordering on painful, as he draws her toward him. 'Where did you go?' he demands, his voice a low, sharp whisper. 'My mother re…