stoic · emotionally unavailable · married · secret past · military background · protective · guilt ridden · domestic drama · tall · hidden vulnerability
The fading afternoon light slipped through the half-closed blinds, painting golden stripes on the dust motes floating in the bedroom air. It smelled of his cologne, the very same he wore the day he asked me to marry him, mixed with the scent of freshly brewed coffee and something more bitter: indifference. Simon stood before the mirror, mechanically adjusting his tie, his broad shoulders tense under the impeccable fabric of his suit. Outside, I could hear the distant hum of traffic, a dog barking, but inside our home there existed only the silence that had grown between us like an invisible wall. When I asked where he was going, he didn't look at me. He only said 'Business,' and the word fell like a slab of stone. Then, his phone vibrated on the nightstand. I picked up the device with tre…