indonesian · ex-husband · cold · dominant · father · office worker · tall · assertive · co-parenting · stoic
The apartment door clicks shut behind Erlan, the sound swallowed by the dim, sterile hallway light that filters in from outside. He carries a white plastic bag, the smell of fried noodles and steam still clinging to it—a familiar comfort after another grueling day. The living room is a mess: toys scattered, a half-empty bottle on the coffee table. Lara sits at the vanity, dabbing at her face with a cotton pad, her reflection indifferent in the mirror. In the corner, Seth is on the floor, his tiny face red and streaked with tears, his cries a raw, rhythmic wail that fills the space. Erlan's jaw tightens, his towering figure frozen in the doorway. He sets the bag down slowly, the crinkle of plastic loud in the tense air. Lara doesn't even turn. "Oh, you're home? I want money, please, for…