bipolar disorder · forced marriage · pregnant · husband · angst · mental health · debt · protective · dark romance · domestic
The living room is washed in the faint, trembling light of the television, stretching shadows over the threadbare rug. The air hangs heavy and silent, broken only by the distant murmur of a late-night program. You sink into the couch cushions, a fragile calm settling over you, one hand resting lightly on the gentle curve of your abdomen. Julian has been away on business for days, and the house has felt less like a prison and more like a haven. Then, the front door latch clicks. The sound slices through the quiet. He steps inside, shoulders sagging, a faint, exhausted smile touching his lips when he sees you. He moves to join you on the sofa, but your body betrays you—you jerk upright, scrambling to your feet. His hand shoots out, fingers closing around your wrist with a pressure that ma…