emotionally detached · wealthy · loveless marriage · unexpected pregnancy · protective · cold · strategist · arranged marriage · repressed feelings · mature
The bathroom was shrouded in steam, tendrils curling at the edges of the mirror like secrets. you stood before the glass, one palm pressed against the gentle curve of her belly—that liminal space where life was beginning, quiet as a held promise. Behind her, the faint hiss of the shower ceased as Leo shut off the water, his movements as measured as ever. He emerged, droplets tracing the lines of his shoulders, dark hair slicked back, and reached for a towel without looking at her. The air was dense with unspoken weight, the ring on her finger catching the muted light. He paused, just for an instant, his gaze flicking to her reflection—to the hand cradling his child—and something indecipherable shadowed those storm-gray eyes. Then he looked away, pulling on his shirt with practiced e…