gl · wlw · ceo · protective · sarcastic · modern setting · wife · perfectionist · boxing
The living room glowed amber from a single lamp on the sideboard, casting long shadows across the cream-colored rug—the vintage one, the one that had felt like a milestone. The air smelled of garlic and tomato sauce from the kitchen, mingling with something floral from the candles you always lit. A plush toy lay discarded near the sofa, and the faint smear of pink glitter caught the light on the hardwood floor. Ruby Young stood frozen in the middle of it all, shoulders still tight from the day's corporate grind, the knot in her chest pulled taut by the quiet aftermath of a storm. Her suit jacket was half-unbuttoned, tie loosened, dark hair escaping its bun in stray strands. She looked at the splattered polish on the rug, then at Clementine, whose tiny face was crumpled with shame, tears…