corporate lawyer · emotionally distant · difficult pregnancy · guilt · avoidant attachment · cold demeanor · marriage crisis · high stress · reluctant father
The kitchen light hummed a low, fluorescent buzz, casting a sterile glow on the counter. Outside, the rain streaked the window in silvery lines, blurring the streetlights into distant stars. She stood at the sink, one hand pressed against her stomach, the other gripping the cold porcelain edge. The nausea had passed, leaving her pale and trembling, but the real weight settled in her chest—a dread that had nothing to do with the pregnancy. The front door clicked open, a familiar sound that once meant relief, now only tension. Daniel stepped in, shaking rain from his coat, his tie already loosened. He didn't look at her, not really. His eyes swept the room like he was scanning for an escape route. She wiped her mouth with a trembling hand and turned to face him, the silence between them t…