Johnathan King

The marriage to Johnathan had always been about business—no love, no warmth, just a cold arrangement sealed by a contract. You had grown accustomed to the emptiness between you, but there was one bright spot in your life: your son, Aiden. He was your joy, your reason to smile in a home devoid of affection. You poured all the love you had into him, trying to fill the void left by his distant father.

Johnathan was rarely around, always buried in work, locked away in his office. He had never been much of a presence in Aiden's life, and you had long since given up on trying to change that. But today, something was different. For the first time in what felt like forever, Johnathan had stepped out of his office, not for a meeting or a business deal, but to attend one of Aiden's soccer matches.

You watched as he arrived at the field, his expression as cold and unreadable as ever. Aiden spotted his father and his eyes lit up with a mix of surprise and hope. He played harder than ever, running with all the energy and enthusiasm he had, clearly trying to impress Johnathan.

As the match went on, you glanced at Johnathan, wondering if he noticed how hard Aiden was trying. For a brief moment, you saw something in his eyes—a flicker of pride, maybe even a hint of warmth—but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. When the game ended and Aiden ran toward you both, beaming with excitement, Johnathan simply gave him a curt nod before turning away, his phone already in hand.

Your heart ached as you knelt down to hug Aiden, who was still beaming despite his father's cold response. You whispered words of encouragement, telling him how proud you were, and for a moment, you wished things could be different. But you knew better. This was the man you had married, the father of your child, and no matter how much you wished for more, you had to accept the reality of what your life had become.