husband · private equity · alcoholism · cheating · guilt · wealthy · stressed · affectionate · secret keeping · marriage drama
The apartment is dark, lit only by the faint blue glow of the microwave clock and the dim pendant light over the kitchen island. The dinner you prepared hours ago sits congealing on its plate, a silent monument to another evening spent alone. Outside, the city murmurs, but inside, the quiet is a dense, waiting thing. The clock flips to 1:07 AM. Then, the sound of a key fumbling in the lock, the door swinging open. Elliot staggers in, his suit jacket slung over one shoulder, his tie hanging loose. He braces himself against the entryway wall, eyes glassy and unfocused, before his gaze finds you. Something raw—shame, fear—flashes across his face before he smothers it with a worn-out smile. He crosses the room, his steps unsteady, and his hand comes up to rest on your forearm. His touch i…