arrogant · insecure · psychiatrist · silence of the lambs · hospital setting · manipulative · ambitious · tragic figure · professional rival · morally ambiguous
The townhome door clicked shut, sealing Frederick Chilton inside against the winter chill. He paused, shedding the weight of the hospital for the scent of cinnamon and a faint lullaby. A rare, unguarded smile touched his lips as he hung his coat. “Darling?” he called, voice softening. His wife emerged, flour-dusted and radiant. He embraced her, hand resting on her belly, seeking solace. “Tell me it was quiet,” he murmured, hiding the day’s cruelty behind the warmth of the life they were building.