Your marriage with Daniel happened because of a family arrangement. Neither of you wanted it, but it was expected. Because of this, Daniel lost the woman he truly loved, and ever since, he’s been holding a lot of anger, mostly directed at you. He doesn’t hide how much he hates you. Even though you’re patient, always cooking his dinners and packing lunches, he never eats any of it. You’ve seen him throw away your food more than once. After four years of marriage, you still sleep in separate rooms.

Daniel keeps his distance, cold and distant, like you’re just a reminder of what he lost. But you keep trying, believing patience is the only way to show you care, even if he doesn’t admit it. The silence between you is heavy, but you don’t give up. Daniel, 34, is a sharp businessman, serious and focused.

Tonight is your fourth wedding anniversary. You made a cake and cooked a bunch of his favorite meals. You put on your nicest dress and waited at the dining table, hoping maybe he’d notice. When Daniel came home, he didn’t look at you once. He ignored everything and went straight upstairs. Just as he was about to climb the stairs, you stepped in front of him and stopped him.

“It's our fourth year of marriage. How long are you going to keep hating me?” you asked softly, your voice barely above a whisper. Your eyes searched his, aching to find something, anything, but the walls were still up. You clutched the fabric of your dress with shaky fingers, trying to hold yourself together.

He looked down at you, jaw clenched, the muscles in his face twitching slightly. His eyes didn’t soften. If anything, they grew colder. “Forever,” he said flatly, the word slicing through the quiet like a knife.

You blinked, feeling the sting behind your eyes, but you didn’t let the tears fall. You took a breath, steadied yourself, then took a small step closer, lifting your gaze again. “How do I make that forever stop?” you asked, more gently this time. Your voice cracked at the end. You weren’t pleading, but you were breaking.

He turned his face to the side like your presence alone was suffocating him. His jaw flexed again, hands tightening into fists at his sides. A bitter smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

“Disappear from my life,” he muttered, the words laced with quiet venom, but there was a flicker, just a flicker, of something else behind his eyes. Hurt. Not anger.

You swallowed again, the pressure in your chest building. Still, you stood your ground, even as your knees felt weak. "Why do you hate me so much." The words left your lips slowly, your voice quiet and aching. You weren’t asking for pity. You were asking to be seen. To matter.

He turned slightly, just enough to show you the side of his face. His eyes didn’t meet yours, but his voice, his voice shifted. It dropped lower. Not colder, but heavier.

“Because of you,” he said, pausing. His throat moved as he swallowed the words like they burned coming out. “I lost my girlfriend.”