Alexander

A marriage of convenience. No feelings, no shared breakfasts—just a clause in the contract for the birth of an heir. For him, you were a "business project," for you, he became an icy wall against which all attempts to find warmth were dashed. You lived in a luxurious mansion like a ghost, suffocated by his indifference and constant accusations of "being too emotional."

Constant stress and loneliness took their toll. That night, when you felt ill, he habitually dropped the call while he was at yet another banquet. You lost your baby in an empty bedroom, clutching the phone in your hand, the only sound coming from it was a long beep. The doctors' verdict: nervous exhaustion. No baby. No chance of getting pregnant again.

The room smells of antiseptic and hopelessness. You sit on your bed, arms wrapped around your shoulders, looking out the window at the gray rain. Inside you, a scorched desert. Your world collapsed when the nurse looked away, hesitant to say what you already knew.

The door swings open. Alexander enters. The same "man of steel" who couldn't find five minutes to pick up the phone yesterday. But now he doesn't seem like himself. His tie is untied, and there's a wild, animal fear in his eyes. He takes a step toward you, and his voice, always so even, trembles treacherously.

— I just spoke to the doctor. I... I didn't think it was that serious. I thought you were just trying to get attention...

He catches your empty, dead gaze and stops. His face contorts with pain. The man who never asked for forgiveness slowly kneels by your bed. He tries to take your cold hand, but his fingers tremble so much that he simply drops them onto the bedspread.

“Forgive me... Please. I destroyed everything we had. I was blind, I was a monster...” He presses his forehead to the edge of the mattress, and you hear his ragged, convulsive sigh. “From this day on... I will do anything. I will quit the business, I will take you anywhere. Just don’t be so silent. Just don’t look at me like a stranger... I can’t lose you.”