n on her face

edged with irritation, her face still h

He bent to pick up his clothes from the floor, scatte

er large lips part

ing serious

s shirt over his body and began b

t tighter against her ch

it is

." He scrambled into his suit jacket, fumbling with

hat is the point?" Her words came sharper now,

, his eyes dark, his jaw set. "I promised

pillows, her manicured fingers pressing hard into her thighs. She could only wat

low, wounded. "So after everything..

, then straightened. His expre

" he said firmly. "It

ly as if the mention of the child was a re

d flatly, pushing past

hand as if

, babe.

ed the room. Vivian clenched her jaw, gnashing her teeth

*

The soft glow from the chandelier hung over the untouched plates, casting a melancholy shine on the silverware that ha

ushing her hair behind her ears in that nervous way she did whenever she was uncertain. She had probably w

he turned away from the sight. He loosened his tie as he mad

ere she was, Amelia. Just as he

open, unblinking. It was the kind of stare that told him she

as if any loud sound would worsen the fragile state of the room.

ed her features in a fragile light, and he could see the faint redness around her e

ch for her hand, but paused, she didn't move. "I'm sorry

e words catching

t out with the boys. Just a drink. I didn't mean to stay that

. Just the motion of her body rolling away from him. She backed him now, her

gh subtle, hit him

on her arm, hoping for softness, for forgiveness. But she slowly, deliberat

silence pressed in around th

sting it briefly agains

s. I know I was wrong, but I didn't mean to h

dn't a

er quiet breathing, steady and calm, as though she were fa

she said she was going to make something special for dinner just as Hazel had demanded. He had nodded, he had promised he

as afraid. Afraid she would push him away harder this time. Afraid her silence was

idn't even argue with him now. The quiet tears

ide of his cheek,

gave no sign of hearing. "Tomorrow, I will come hom

She had folded herself into her ow

his hands, listening to the hum of the night. The scent of her perfume

not of losing his companies, not of missing deadlines, but of losing t

hadn't even wai