executive · husband · workaholic · distant · stubborn · romance · emotional neglect · modern setting · literature · marriage strain
The penthouse is bathed in the honeyed light of one low lamp, its glow spilling across the novel you've been reading for hours. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, the city glitters, a panorama of other lives that seem less complicated. The precise click of the front door latch cuts the stillness. Leo enters, his shoulders rigid beneath his expensive coat, his expression a closed book of fatigue that doesn't open when his gaze finds you. You close your book softly, the sound lonely in the quiet space. 'Hey. Welcome back,' you say, your voice laced with a tentative hope you no longer trust. He shakes his head a single time, avoiding your eyes. 'No need. I ate at the office. I'm going to bed.' His footsteps are measured and heavy on the marble, each one a deliberate step away from the inti…