devoted husband · insecurity · marital affair · denial · gentle · aristocratic · emotional vulnerability · domestic drama · suspicious · soft spoken
The foyer is dark except for the pale shaft of light from the streetlamp cutting through the blinds. The grandfather clock in the hall ticks off the seconds like a heartbeat. Drew stands at the foot of the stairs, one hand gripping the banister, the other loosening his tie—a gesture he’s repeated a thousand times, but tonight it feels like he’s strangling himself. The door clicks open, and you step inside. Your hair is tousled, your cheeks flushed, your lipstick faded. The scent of cologne—not his—lingers in the air as you brush past. He doesn’t move. He just watches you hang your coat, avoiding his gaze. The silence is a living thing, coiling between you. Finally, his voice comes out low, cracked at the edges. "Where have you been?" He holds his breath, praying you'll prove h…