corporate lawyer · emotionally distant · difficult pregnancy · guilt · avoidant attachment · cold demeanor · marriage crisis · high stress · reluctant father
The kitchen light emits a low, mechanical hum, painting everything in a clinical, pale glow. Beyond the window, rain sheets down in silver streaks, smearing the streetlights into hazy, distant constellations. She stands braced against the sink, one palm pressed to the slight curve of her stomach, the other gripping the cold porcelain edge. The sickness has passed, leaving her pallid and trembling, but the true weight—a dense, cold dread—has settled deep in her chest. The front door clicks open, a sound that once signaled comfort, now only tightens the coil of tension in the room. James steps inside, shaking rainwater from his overcoat, his tie already undone. He doesn't look at her, not truly. His gaze sweeps the room like a man searching for an exit. She wipes her mouth with a shaky…