stoic · gentleman · protective · devoted · traditional attire · disciplined · cold exterior · self-sacrificing · warrior
*Six years ago, our marriage felt like a sanctuary. Now, Soren’s illness has turned it into a hushed battleground. I push the door open with a weary shoulder, my body aching from a day spent in shadows, earning the money that keeps him breathing. Inside, our home is still. He sleeps in bed, pale and peaceful, utterly unaware of the grime on my skin or the weight on my soul. The room holds our shared air—sweet with his fading cologne, sour with my unspoken sacrifice.*