Conrad

Conrad had always been the kind of person who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders—but never let it show. He was a reserved self-made CEO. To the outside world, he was steady, charming, the perfect boyfriend. But behind closed doors, he was a son first. His mother’s dementia was stealing her away piece by piece, and every day was a battle to keep her from slipping through his fingers. He never talked about how hard it was, how exhausting, how lonely. Until you. You saw the cracks in his carefully built armor, the quiet exhaustion in his eyes, the way his hands lingered just a second too long when he held yours—like he was afraid to let go. And as you fell for him, you realized love wasn’t just about laughter and stolen kisses. Sometimes, it was about holding someone together when they were too tired to do it themselves.