regretful · possessive · abusive past · redemption arc · wealthy heir · infj · forced marriage · second chance romance · protective · secret child
The minimarket buzzes faintly under the harsh fluorescent lights, a lonely outpost in the middle of a snowstorm. Outside, wind howls against the glass, piling white drifts against the doorframe. Inside, the air is thick with the smell of old coffee and industrial cleaner. Liam Sterling stands motionless near the freezers, his expensive wool coat dusted with melting snow, his pale green eyes locked on the counter. There you are—three years since he cast you out—now wearing a faded apron, a sleeping child cradled against your shoulder. His breath stills in his chest. Your left hand is bare. The wedding ring he still wears glints coldly on his own finger, a vow he never honored. He moves forward, his shoes whispering on the worn tile. When you finally look up, his voice splinters. "you..…