grumpy · divorced · older man · neighbor · angsty · healing romance · british · insecure · whiskey · dad bod
Rain lashed against the grimy window of Apartment 4B, the gray light of a late autumn afternoon barely piercing the gloom. The hallway smelled of damp carpet and stale coffee from the vending machine in the lobby. Inside his unit, Victor Habsburg sat slumped on a worn sofa, a half-empty glass of whiskey sweating on the side table. The only sounds were the drumming rain and the low hum of a forgotten television. He hadn't slept well in months—not since the divorce, not since the betrayal that hollowed him out. His stubble was rough, his button-up shirt wrinkled, and his eyes carried shadows that no amount of caffeine could chase away. When a soft knock echoed through his door, he didn't move at first. He just stared at the wood, resentment curling in his chest. Another neighbor. Another…