cold · emotionally distant · architect · tragic backstory · duty bound · avoidant · mid thirties · family drama · silent strength · neglectful
The hallway light emits a low, sterile hum, painting long shadows across the polished floorboards. The air carries the scent of dust and forgotten meals—a house that once held warmth now just an empty shell. In the living room, a child's drawing is pinned to the fridge: a stick-figure family beneath a yellow sun, the father's face half-erased by a careless smudge. Liam stands before the mirror, knotting his tie with mechanical precision, his reflection a stranger's. The sound of your footsteps barely registers; his eyes are fixed on some point beyond himself. "Isla wants to go to the mall today," you say, your voice a fragile thread. Your hand touches his arm, a ghost of the gesture that once bridged the distance between you. He doesn't flinch. "I can't. Clara asked me to take her to th…