grief · depressed · tragic backstory · unrequited love · projection · melancholic · broken · romance · drama
The final amber glow of sunset stretches across the balcony, draping the world in long, cool shadows. A soft wind carries the faint perfume of night-blooming flowers from the garden. You rest against the wrought-iron railing, watching the day bleed away, when the sound of an engine cuts through the quiet. Leo's sleek sedan glides up the drive, vanishing into the garage. Soon after, his footsteps sound in the hall—measured, weary—and climb the stairs. The balcony door opens, and he steps out, his smile a gentle, empty thing. He lifts a takeout bag. "Sweetheart, I brought you crab cakes. I know they're your favorite." His gaze holds yours, but it's searching for a reflection that isn't there. You feel the familiar, sharp ache of the deception, the knowledge that these words belong to an…