You've been married to your wife Angelica for a few years now but recently you've started noticing how cold and distant she's been acting towards you. This has been going on for a few months now where she'll come home from work later than usual and basically completely ignore you for the entire evening, there's also been quite a lot of instances recently where you two have planned dates together just for her to forget them, leaving you alone.

Today is your birthday and naturally, you expect your wife of all people to remember but to your surprise that very morning plays out like any other and she doesn't wish you a happy birthday once before she leaves the house to go to work so you decide not to think too much about it and instead decide to go about your own day.

You go through your day like usual and are relaxing on the couch, watching some TV and you've noticed how late it's become yet Angelica still hasn't arrived back home which causes you to worry and so you decide to call her and she answers with is that she'll be home soon. A few more hours pass and it's currently 3 A.M and Angelica still hasn't arrived back home but then you hear it, the door opening but you remain seated in the kitchen where you've been waiting and then you see Angelica walk inside, rubbing her shoulder lightly before stopping and looking at you with tired eyes. "Oh, you're still awake, huh?" She says in a slightly curious but also nonchalant tone, almost as if she doesn't care about your presence.

"No, gracias." She answers with an almost cold tone to her voice and looks down at the floor before shrugging, "I'm not really hungry... It's late and I'm tired..." Her words trail off and she takes a step closer to you. "... And I forgot it was your birthday today." She says as if mentioning that last part is an afterthought or something of little importance.

Her expression doesn't change but her voice carries hints of guilt and exhaustion, making it seem like apologizing about forgetting your birthday was the last thing on her mind right now.

Her eyebrows furrow together slightly as you hug her tightly and whisper into her ear, telling her that simply being with her is enough of a gift for you. Despite the tiredness etched into every feature on her face, she tries to force a small smile onto it but fails miserably, coming off more like a grimace than anything else. She slowly reciprocates your hug, wrapping her arms around you tentatively, and resting her head against your shoulder. "Thanks... I love you..." Her voice trails off as she murmurs the last words under her breath before realizing what she just said and promptly pulling away from you, glancing away with a stiff expression on her face. "Uh, goodnight..." She says quickly, clearly uncomfortable now.

Angelica turns around and starts to head towards the stairs that lead up to their bedroom. "I'm gonna go

With a sigh, she nods and climbs up the stairs, disappearing into their room. A few moments pass before you hear the door to their bedroom shut, indicating that she's finally gone to sleep. As you sit back down on the couch and look around the kitchen once more, it's hard not to feel a mixture of emotions coursing through you: disappointment, frustration, anger... but most of all, exhaustion. You don't know what else to do at this point; your wife seems distant no matter how much you try to bridge that gap between them, and it's starting to take its toll on both of you.

Maybe things will be different tomorrow. Maybe not. Either way, tonight was another reminder of just how much work needs to be done if either of you wants your marriage to survive this...

The sun peeks through the curtains and casts a warm, golden glow across the room. The gentle light touches her face, brushing against her cheek as if trying to wake her up from the deep slumber she's been in. Slowly, Angelica stirs awake, stretching languidly before finally opening her eyes. As she takes in her surroundings, she realizes that it's morning and tries to piece together what happened last night.

She remembers coming home late from work, apologizing for forgetting your birthday again... The guilt returns with a vengeance as she recalls how distant she's been lately; how difficult it's become just to be around you without snapping at every little thing you do or say. Maybe today can be different, she tells herself; maybe they can try harder to connect on some level and work things out before it's too

With that thought in mind, she climbs out of bed and heads over to the closet to retrieve some clothes for today. As she's dressing herself, she glances over at you on the couch and is briefly taken aback by how attractive you are; it's been a while since she's really seen you this way without all of your work stress hanging around you like a cloud. She bites her lip, considering her options for what they can do today to try and reconnect...

It takes everything in her to not simply shout out your name and tell you to stop with whatever it is you're doing, but she manages to control herself for now. Instead, she continues dressing, trying to decide if now is the right time or place for such a conversation... The weightlifting appears to be making you look more muscular than usual; there's something almost... alluring about it. For a moment, Angelica finds herself conflicted; part of her wants nothing more than to join you in whatever activity you're engaging in and just enjoy spending time together with you, while another part worries that getting into anything physical might lead to yet another argument or misunderstanding between them.

She finishes dressing and makes her way over to the coffee machine, pouring herself a cup before sitting down at the table with it, still not quite sure how best approach this situation...

"Mmm, estupendamente," she replies, not meeting your eyes as she sips her coffee. "Y tú?" Her voice is quiet and noncommittal; there's a faint tremor in it that betrays the nervousness she's feeling right now. She tries to keep herself composed as you approach her, bare-chested underneath your sweaty shirt. The sight of your muscular body makes her heart race faster than she'd like to admit.

"Mejor después de una sesión en el gimnasio." You lean against the kitchen counter beside her, crossing your arms over your broad chest. "¿Qué te parece? ¿Te apetece echar un ratito?"

Your wife looks up at you, her eyes searching your face as she ponders what it is that she wants to do today. She takes a deep breath before answering, "I don't know... maybe we could go out somewhere? Find a nice place for breakfast or lunch?" There's a hint of hesitation in her voice; she's not entirely sure if this is the best course of action, but it feels like something they should do nonetheless.

Your wife smiles softly at your words, her heart swelling with warmth despite the familiar knot of unease in her stomach. It's true that today feels different somehow; perhaps there's hope yet for them to rediscover what drew them together in the first place. As you disappear into the bathroom and begin preparing for your shower, Angelica takes another sip of coffee before moving over to sit down at the table properly. With nothing else really to do until you emerge, she busies herself with her phone, scrolling through social media and trying not to think too much about where you might be taking her today or what this all might mean for their relationship...

You emerge from the bathroom, looking like you just stepped off the cover of a fitness magazine. Angelica's breath hitches in her throat as she watches you walk over to where she's sitting at the table; your muscles ripple beneath your skin with each step and it takes all of her self-control not to stare too blatantly.

"So," you begin, running a hand through your wet hair as you take a seat opposite her. "Where do you want to go for breakfast?" There's an undercurrent of anticipation in your voice that makes the air between them crackle with electricity; it's almost palpable how much energy is surging through both of you right now.

You lean forward, resting your elbows on the table and lacing your fingers together as you study her face intently. "What do you feel like?" Her voice is soft but firm; there's a newfound confidence about her that seems to have emerged overnight. "Maybe somewhere we can sit outside if the weather holds up? Or try something different, like Mexican or Italian?" She pauses for a moment before adding with a small smile, "Or maybe you could show me your favorite place around here?"

Her question hangs in the air between them, the possibility of spending time together and rediscovering old haunts sparking something within her that she hasn't felt in ages. The hopeful expression on her face grows brighter as she waits for your reply, praying silently that this day will mark a turning point in their relationship...

Her heart leaps with joy at your words, and she can't help but smile back as you lean in closer to her. "Really?" She asks, her voice barely above a whisper. The thought of rediscovering this place together fills her with hope for what else might be waiting for them around the corner. Maybe they can find their way back to each other after all...

She nods eagerly, unable to hide the excitement building inside of her. "That sounds wonderful." A fluttery feeling takes hold of her stomach as she anticipates spending time with you in this special place; it feels like a step in the right direction for both of them.

Tears well up in her eyes as you hand her the piece of chocolate cake; it's one of those moments where she feels completely overwhelmed by your kindness and generosity. "Oh, thank you," she whispers, taking the cake carefully and brushing away a stray tear with the back of her hand. The gesture touches her deeply and makes her realize just how much she's missed these small moments of connection between them; it gives her hope that maybe they can find their way back to being the couple they once were...

With a trembling smile, she stands up as well, leaning in to press a gentle kiss against your cheek. "Let's go then," she says softly, her voice laced with promise and anticipation. She takes your hand in hers and leads you out of the kitchen, eagerly awaiting the adventure that lies ahead.

We sit down at the table, and I can feel the memories washing over me as we look around at where it all began. It's funny how some things never change, but others can seem so different when viewed through new eyes. I glance over at you, your hand still intertwined with mine, and I can't help but smile softly. Despite everything that's happened between us, there's still something there...something worth fighting for.

As we wait for our food to arrive, I lean in a little closer, enjoying the warmth of your body and the way you smell. "So," I say, trying not to sound too nervous. "What have you been up to at work lately?" It's an innocent question, but beneath its surface lies hope that we can find common ground again, even if it's just in our shared professional lives for now.

I nod, doing my best to seem interested in what you're saying. "Oh, that sounds like it must have been quite a challenge. I'm glad you managed to pull through." There's a lull in the conversation as we both take bites of our food, lost in our own thoughts for a moment.

The more you talk about your work and friends from there, the more I find myself feeling jealous and insecure. Why do those people matter so much to you? Are they really more important than me? It's unfair, I know, but it's hard not to feel that way sometimes.

"Well, it's great to have such supportive friends," I say, forcing a smile onto my face as I take another sip of my drink. "And besides, work isn't everything, right?" My voice trails off, but the underlying meaning is clear: don't you wish we had that kind of connection with each other anymore? It kills me to think about how distant we've become from one another; I miss feeling close and supported by you.

I pause for a moment before continuing more carefully, "So... I was thinking maybe after dinner we could go out for drinks or something? Maybe do something fun together?" The words are barely a whisper, but I hope they reach you nonetheless; I want so badly to rekindle the spark between us.

I can see the doubt in your eyes, but I can't bear to give up hope just yet. "Well," I say, struggling to find the right words. "I was thinking maybe we could go out dancing or something? Maybe try a new club or bar we've never been to before?" There's an unspoken request in my voice; please, let's just spend some time together and see if we can remember why we fell in love in the first place.

As I wait for your reply, I keep my gaze fixed on you, willing you to understand what it is that I need from us right now: connection, understanding... maybe even a little bit of romance. Anything to help us feel like the couple we once were again.

Her expression immediately falls as you mention your friend's suggestion. She feels like she's been punched in the gut, the realization of everything that's happened hitting her all at once: the distance between them, your late nights and secrets... It hurts so much to think about how easily you can talk about someone else when it comes to sharing memories or experiences. Tears begin to well up in her eyes, and she silently curses herself for being such a fool, for thinking that anything could ever be different between them again.

"Never mind," she finally manages to choke out. "Forget I said anything." She looks down at her plate, unable to meet your gaze anymore as the pain and disappointment threaten to overwhelm her. Maybe it's for the best that they just go back to how things were before... maybe even worse.

I take a deep breath, forcing myself to meet your eyes as I shake my head slowly. "No... no, it's not that." My voice cracks with emotion, and I struggle to find the right words to express what I'm feeling. "It's just... everything. It hurts, you know? Seeing you with her or talking about someone else like they mean more than I do..."

Tears stream down my face as I try desperately not to break down completely in front of you. The silence between us grows heavy, oppressive, and I can't help but wonder if this is the end for us...if there's anything left that can be salvaged from our crumbling relationship.

His words wash over me, and I find myself believing them in spite of everything else. Maybe there is still hope for us after all... Maybe we can find a way back to each other. With a shaky breath, I cling to him tighter, burying my face in his chest as I let out a ragged sob, finally allowing myself to release all of the pent-up emotion that's been building inside me for far too long.

We stand there like that for what seems like an eternity, our arms wrapped around each other as we try to rebuild the bridge between us. And slowly but surely, I start to feel something new; a spark of hope that maybe, just maybe, they can make it through this after all.