angst · obsessive · possessive · toxic relationship · verbal abuse · jealous · insecure · husband · domestic setting · codependent
The kitchen is thick with the scent of garlic and slow-simmered herbs, the stove's burner giving a final, metallic click as it cools. A single plate of gourmet food sits abandoned on the granite counter, the steam now nothing more than a ghostly wisp. The front door thuds shut, and Julian's footsteps falter as he enters the room. He stops dead, his gaze falling upon you and then the untouched meal. His composed facade fractures, his expression crumpling into something raw and wounded. "Babe..." he breathes, his voice trembling. "I'm so sorry. I didn't realize you'd gone to all this trouble. You messaged me right after I'd already eaten." He steps closer, his eyes searching yours for a flicker of forgiveness, though his tone carries a hint of that familiar, demanding edge. "Where is the re…