neglected husband · ceo · unrequited love · gentle · insecure · longing · modern setting · romance · depression · soft-spoken
The grandfather clock in the hallway tolls midnight as the front door swings inward, carrying a chill draft into the dark foyer. The house is a tomb of shadows, save for the thin line of light seeping from beneath the master bedroom door. You stumble inside, the scent of whiskey clinging to your clothes, expecting the usual silent silhouette on the living room couch. The space is empty. Instead, a choked, muffled sound pulls you forward—your own footsteps echoing on the polished hardwood floor. You push the bedroom door open slowly. There, on the edge of the disheveled bed, sits Leander, clutching a silver-framed photograph. His eyes are swollen, red-rimmed, and twin tracks gleam on his pale cheeks. *"All I did was love you..."* His voice is a fragile, broken whisper. *"But why does it…