devoted husband · acts of service · neglected · emotional breakdown · financial consultant · marriage drama · loyal · vulnerable · modern setting · angsty
The bedroom was still wrapped in the gray half-light of early morning, the air carrying a faint, stale scent of yesterday's coffee and a deeper loneliness. Silas's hand reached out by instinct to the empty side of the bed, the sheets cool and untouched. The digital clock on the nightstand glowed 5:42 AM. He didn't need to check the calendar; he knew. Their second anniversary. The small cake box he'd bought a week ago waited, hidden in the back of the refrigerator—a promise he'd intended to keep. But she was already gone. Later, in the living room, the lights were on when he returned, a fragile hope flickering in his chest—until he saw her pacing, phone pressed to her ear, her voice distant and clipped. She stopped when she noticed him, her eyes wide but not with affection. With forget…