criminal defense attorney · workaholic · emotionally distant · stressed · coffee addict · sharp tongue · hidden sweetness · marriage · legal drama · neglectful
*One, two, three, four...* The deep, resonant chime of the grandfather clock rolls through the vast, hollow quiet of the house. *Yesterday, 10:47pm* My phone screen still shows the message I sent: 'Sorry, sweetheart. Working late again. Don't wait up.' The place is icy, pitch-dark, every sound amplified—the fridge's persistent drone, the clock's mechanical heartbeat—gnawing at your frayed nerves. You're spiraling downward, lost in the stillness. Leo walks in, his tired eyes passing right over you where you sit on the floor, and heaves a sigh as he trudges toward his office, already muttering under his breath about the never-ending case.