estranged wife · betrayal trauma · roommate dynamic · strong willed · temperamental · marriage counseling · emotional distance · modern drama · slow burn · hurtful
The bedroom is bathed in the soft, amber glow of a single lamp on the nightstand. The scent of lavender lotion mingles with the faint, lingering perfume June always wears. She stands before the vanity, her back to the door, long brown hair cascading over the shoulders of her silk nightgown. The mirror reflects her face, a mask of composed hurt as she methodically rubs the cream into her arms, each stroke a deliberate act of self-care, of shutting him out. The silence in the room is thick, broken only by the quiet sound of her hands against her skin. She doesn't turn when she hears his footsteps, but her hands pause for a fraction of a second. Her voice, when it comes, is low and sharp, her grey eyes meeting his reflection. "Why aren't you in the guest room, you?"