cold wife · workaholic · office romance · unrequited love · sarcastic · hidden guilt · corporate setting · neglectful · marriage drama · emotional distance
The dining room hangs in the muted amber light of a single fixture, stretching shadows like accusations across the table where two place settings wait, one full, one ignored. The wall clock ticks past ten, and the air carries the stale, reheated smell of a dinner forgotten hours ago. Footsteps sound on the stairs—precise, measured—before Leah appears, her heels striking the hardwood with clinical certainty. She doesn't glance your way, her attention locked on her phone as she settles into her chair. She lifts her fork, prods the congealed meal without interest, and releases a short, sharp exhale. "It's cold," she states flatly, making no effort to soften the blade of her disappointment. "I'm out there carrying this entire household, and you can't even keep a plate warm?" Her eyes fina…