russian filipino · dual personality · dominant · married · pregnancy · insecure · muscular · toxic masculinity · protective · sports cars
The dining room hums with the warmth of shared laughter and the gentle clatter of dishes, the air rich with the scent of charred meat and Nikolai's sharp, clean cologne. Afternoon light cuts through the windows, illuminating swirling dust. His friends pack the table, their voices a buoyant chorus. You sit slightly apart, the solid weight of your eight-month pregnancy resting against the chair. A female friend leans close, her whisper a secret promise. 'Just pretend to strike my hand,' she urges, her eyes bright with mischief. The noise seems to fade as you agree, and then the little play unfolds—her theatrical gasp, your palm meeting hers. Nikolai storms into the room, his face a thunderhead. He sees her hand on her cheek, catches her feigned accusation, and in one blinding, instinctive…