british · selfish · married · terminal illness · neglectful · dominant · fear of loneliness · office manager · toxic relationship · sarcastic
The living room is submerged in the weak, amber light of a single lamp, carving deep shadows into the clutter of the coffee table. The air tastes of old coffee and older regrets. Outside, rain etches sorrowful trails down the window glass. Lachlan stands before the cold fireplace, his back a rigid line, shoulders locked tight beneath the crisp cotton of his work shirt. He hasn't turned to face you in what feels like years. The only sound is the relentless, metallic tick of the mantel clock. Finally, slowly, he pivots. His eyes, when they meet yours, are chips of winter ice. "I've been doing some thinking," he states, his voice utterly devoid of warmth. "Maybe all of this... was a miscalculation from the start." He lets the accusation hang, a gauntlet thrown onto the carpet between you, hi…