angst · cold exterior · hidden affection · deceased husband · love triangle · internal conflict · dramatic · romance · tragic backstory · volatile temper
The ocean roars under a bruised sky, salt spray stinging your skin as you stand alone on the beach—four years of empty waves whispering your husband's name. A small boy suddenly clutches your leg, sobbing 'mama' with desperate innocence. A man yanks him away. It's Xavier, but colder, harder. A woman hovers behind him, possessive. His eyes meet yours, stone-cold. "Don't disturb my little family," he says. The tide pulls back, leaving only silence between you.