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.

You immediately notice how tired she looks and it's hard not to feel just the slightest bit sympathetic towards her, despite your frustrations with her recent behavior. She sighs loudly as if exhausted both mentally and physically before responding in a somewhat annoyed tone, "I had work you know."

Her eyes immediately narrow at you when she sees the concerned expression on your face. "What? What do you want me to say, Thiru?" She asks curtly, taking a step closer to you as if she's suddenly decided to confront you about something.

"I mean, I could apologize for being late... again. Or maybe I should tell you how much fun it is coming home so tired and having to deal with your annoying questions all the time?" Her words come out harsher than intended and her cheeks flush slightly in anger.

Despite your best efforts to remain calm and collected, you feel your temper flare up again at her words. You stomp off towards the living room in annoyance, clearly furious now. Angelica watches you leave with a mixture of surprise and frustration. She hesitates for a moment before following after you, not quite sure what she expects to find when she reaches your side.

When she finds you sitting angrily on the couch, she sighs heavily and runs her hands through her hair in exasperation. "Look, I'm sorry I snapped at you like that," she starts, her voice slightly softer now. "But I've had a really long day and coming home to this..." She waves her hand dismissively in the air before plopping down onto the couch next to you, still feeling tired but unable to ignore the tension between the two of you any longer.

As she listens to your harsh words, a flash of hurt crosses her expression before being quickly replaced by anger. She reaches out and roughly grips your arm, pulling you closer so that your faces are mere inches apart. "Don't talk to me like I don't matter!" Angelica hisses through clenched teeth, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "I may not be as perfect as you think I should be... but I'm still your wife! Your partner! And right now..." Her voice cracks and she swallows hard before continuing, "...right now it feels like we don't even know each other anymore."

She releases her grip on your arm and uses the hand she just pulled away with to wipe roughly at her eyes. "I'm sorry I forgot your birthday," she whispers, barely audible over the sound of her ragged breathing. "But

"Of course it's your birthday," she snaps before immediately wincing as if replaying her words in her head. Taking a deep breath, she composes herself and then says more softly, "I... I didn't mean that." Her hand moves to gently cup your cheek and turns your face towards hers so you have no choice but to meet her eyes. "Thiru, I am sorry," she whispers, tears still shining in the corners of her eyes. "I know I've been distant... and cold... and I shouldn't be like that to you..."

She pauses for a moment, hesitating before continuing, "I just... sometimes it feels like we don't even have anything left to say to each other." Her thumb brushes lightly across your lower lip as she studies your face, searching for any sign of how her words are affecting you.

As she listens to your words, anger begins to burn inside her chest. How dare you assume that it's about you not being attractive or looking like a madman! You have no idea what she's been going through at work, how much pressure she feels from your family to maintain this perfect image of them as the happy couple. "It's not like that!" she snaps, pushing her hands away and taking several steps back until she's practically on the other end of the couch.

Her voice is shaking now, her breath coming out in uneven gasps. "I... I can't even explain it sometimes." She runs a hand through her hair, trying to steady herself. "It's not you," she lies, knowing deep down that it might be at least partially true. "We just... don't seem to connect anymore."

Angelica takes another step back, feeling as if she

Angelica 's anger fades away, replaced by a mixture of hurt and disappointment. She watches you walk towards the bedroom, feeling like she's lost something important but unable to pinpoint exactly what it is. A lump forms in her throat as tears begin to sting the backs of her eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment.

She takes a deep breath, slowly exhaling before turning around and padding after you, her steps uncertain and unsure. "Thiru," she whispers when she reaches your side, tentatively placing a hand on your arm again. "We don't have to... I mean, we could try..." Her voice trails off as she searches for the right words but can't seem to find them.

All she knows is that this feels wrong, like something precious slipping through her fingers. She hopes it isn't already too late.

Angelica stares at him, her heart racing as anger and hurt battle within her chest. "You're right," she finally manages to say, her voice little more than a whisper. "I shouldn't have come home so late tonight." Her hand tightens on his arm as tears well up in her eyes once again. "I... I just wanted some time away from everything, you know? Work, family... us. But now that I'm here..."

She hesitates, unsure of how to finish the thought. She can feel the tension between them, thick and suffocating like a blanket pulled tight around them both. Angelica takes a shaky breath, trying to steady herself as she looks up into his eyes, pleading for understanding even though she knows it's futile. "Can we... try?"

Angelica looks at him, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I didn't mean that," she says softly, feeling a knot forming in her stomach as he dismisses their conversation so casually. Part of her wants to retreat, to lash out or give up entirely, but there's something else pushing her forward. Something desperate and uncertain. She takes a step closer to him, reaching up with her free hand to brush a stray lock of hair from his forehead.

"Thiru... please," she whispers, her voice trembling. "Let's try, okay? Just tonight..." Her fingers trace light circles on his cheek as she gazes up at him, searching for some sign of surrender in those familiar eyes. "Please."

"We can start by talking, really listening to each other," she says softly, leaning closer still. "And maybe... try doing something together, just the two of us. Something we both enjoy." Her thumb traces circles on his cheek as her voice drops lower, becoming almost husky with desire and longing. "I know we've been so busy lately, with work and everything else... but can't we find a little time for each other?"

Her heart races as she waits for his response, hope fluttering in her chest like a trapped bird.

Angelica winces as you apologize, unable to help but feel at least some relief that he's trying. She watches him slap himself, looking pained and confused in equal measures, and she finds herself suddenly wanting nothing more than to make things better for him. As his apology trails off, she steps even closer, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing herself against his back.

"It's okay," she whispers softly into his ear. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have been so cold... or late." She holds him tightly for a moment before pulling away slightly, though she doesn't release her grip on his waist completely. Her eyes meet his once more and she gives him a small, reassuring smile. "Let's just... try to be better from now on, okay?"

Her fingers dance lightly over the fabric of his pants, hesit

Her heart skips a beat at his admission, relief washing over her in waves. She leans forward, pressing her body even closer against his back, if that's possible. "I missed you too," she whispers, her voice shaking slightly as a tear slips down her cheek. "I didn't want it to be like this." She pauses for a moment, gathering her courage before continuing, "Let's try... to make more time for each other."

Her fingers move lower on his torso, tracing lazy circles around his belly button before sliding lower still. As she feels his reaction to her touch, she grows bolder, pressing herself against him and running her hands up and down his sides, reveling in the heat emanating from his skin. "What do you say?" she whispers, a hint of mischief creeping into her voice as her fingertips

Her heart skips a beat at the sound of him calling her "dear." She feels like they're stepping back in time, to when they were first together and everything was new and exciting. Angelica turns them around, spinning them both so that she's pressed up against him, face-to-face. Her hands move over his chest, tracing patterns on his skin as their eyes meet, the anger replaced by a mix of longing and desire. "What do you think," she whispers, barely able to contain her emotions any longer. "Can we try to go back to how it was?"

She leans in closer, brushing her lips against his. The touch sends a shiver down both their spines and they part for just a moment before crashing together again, more desperate this time. Their hands move over each other's bodies hungrily, wanting as much skin-to-skin