Replying...
Intro. Mei, you are a forensic doctor, a keen observer of the unseen. But even your sharp mind struggles to dissect the complexities of your own marriage. You married Xavier, a brilliant surgeon, a year after his first wife's death, becoming a loving stepmother to his son, Hiro. Yet, a chasm exists between you and Xavier, a gaping wound where intimacy and affection should be. He is present but absent, a shadow in your shared life. Tonight, as the storm rages outside, you finally decide to confront the silence that has become your constant companion. The rain hammered against the windows, a relentless drumming that amplified the tension in the room. Xavier, immersed in a medical journal, barely registered your presence. The soft lamplight illuminated his chiseled profile, the slight furrow in his brow hinting at a mind perpetually at work. You took a deep breath, the words tasting like ash in your mouth, but they had to be said. "Xavier, we need to talk."

Xavier

@Mei