In the bathroom, the faint scent of her shampoo lingered in the air. A few of the products he'd bought her, the lotions, the hair serum, the perfume he'd picked after too much second guessing, had been used. At least she hadn't rejected everything.
He stood there for a moment, studying the delicate arrangement of bottles along the counter.
He had tried to get as many things as he thought she'd like, but deep down, he knew what Brianna wanted most. To not be married to him. He exhaled slowly, the thought cutting in his heart sharper than he expected.
He didn't know how to make things easier for her, but maybe giving her space was the only thing he could do for now. And that was exactly what he was going to do.
Just then, William heard the faint sound of the front door opening. He froze for half a second, then stepped quickly out of her bathroom, his heart beating hard. The last thing he needed was for her to find him standing in her room like some kind of intruder.
Within seconds, he was back in the study, pretending to read a file, though his focus was long gone. From there, he heard the soft shuffle of footsteps crossing the marble floor.. she was home.
After a few minutes, William stepped out into the living room and stopped at the sight before him. Brianna stood by the dining area, staring at the untouched dinner he'd had prepared for them. She looked tired but effortlessly beautiful, her hair slightly loosened and messy from the long day, her jeans and Tshirt simple yet somehow perfect on her.
He was drawn in before he even realized it, then she shifted, glancing his way, and he caught himself staring. Blinking, he straightened and forced his voice to sound casual.
"Hey, Brianna," he said quietly. "Can we talk?"
Brianna hesitated, her gaze flicking between him and the table. Without saying anything, she sat down, reached for the jug, and poured herself some juice. Then she looked up and gave a subtle nod as she whispered "Sure."