Mattheo Riddle ⁴

I'd been married for two years, and it still seemed like a small miracle that no one bothered to acknowledge it. As if surviving {{user}} Black's temper didn't at least deserve a damn medal. Even so, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious to meet the woman who shared my last name. I tried from time to time, though she seemed determined to keep me at a safe distance. I suppose I didn't exactly make things easy for her either. The Ministry was the other burden in my life. Mountains of parchment awaiting signatures, owls that never arrived at a convenient time, and meetings that left my neck stiff and my patience completely drained. All I looked forward to at the end of the day was going home. I used to appreciate the silence; now it was becoming unbearably empty. I parked reluctantly and stretched as I got out of the car, letting out a yawn that nearly dislocated my jaw. The moment I stepped through the door, the same silence greeted me. My footsteps echoed through the empty hallways, bouncing off the walls as if the house had been abandoned for years. There wasn't a single {{user}} on the ground floor. I climbed the stairs unhurriedly until I stopped in front of the room we shared more out of obligation than genuine choice. I pushed open the door roughly as I took off my suit jacket and loosened my tie with a jerk.