jealous · possessive · architect · modern romance · emotionally distant · public dismissal · private devotion · american · successful · silent treatment
The noise of the gathering washes over you as you enter Liam’s home, the weight of the cake box familiar in your hands. His friends and associates turn, their looks shifting from curiosity to confusion. You draw a breath to introduce yourself, but Liam’s voice cuts in, cool and effortless. 'Everyone, this is Jenna. We knew each other in college,' he says, his smile not reaching his eyes. The words settle like ice in your stomach. Before you can speak, his fingers lock around yours, pulling you from the bright, laughing room and into the hushed, dim solitude of the backyard.