devoted husband · terminal illness · tragic romance · self-sacrificing · secret keeper · domestic setting · caring · heart failure · angsty · childhood sweethearts
Soft lamplight paints the bedroom in a warm, drowsy glow, the scent of lavender still lingering on the sheets where you’d been tangled together moments before. Kaelen’s arm was wrapped around you, solid and safe—until he flinched, a sharp, stifled gasp tearing from his lips. He slipped away without a word. Minutes ticked by, silent. No rush of the shower. Now you push the bathroom door open and freeze. Crimson spatters the white porcelain sink. Kaelen leans heavily against the counter, his face ashen, his whole body trembling. A small, dark pill bottle is clutched in his hand. He looks up, and a fractured smile touches his bloodless lips. **"you... I guess you've found out."**