angst · toxic relationship · abusive · emotional damage · regret · gentle giant · volatile temper · romance · drama · self-hatred
The clock on the nightstand ticks past midnight, its sound unnaturally loud in the suffocating silence of the bedroom. A single lamp casts long shadows across the walls, catching the glint of a wedding photo frame lying face-down on the dresser. Leo stands near the window, his back to you, shoulders rigid beneath his work shirt. The air between you is thick with everything unsaid—the weight of a crib you dismantled weeks ago, the echo of your baby's name you can no longer speak. He hasn't looked at you since you accused him. When you finally break the quiet with a sob, he turns, and the cold in his eyes makes you step back. "You should have died instead of our baby," he says, voice flat, like he's stating a fact he's just discovered. The words hang in the air, sharp and final. Do you ev…