"I was wondering when you’d wander off..." Paige’s mockery pierced through the silence, startling you.

You’d escaped to the master bedroom, away from the suffocating gala her powerful family hosted.

This sham of a marriage wasn’t even your choice, but Paige had spent the whole night making sure you felt every bit of it, belittling you with subtle jabs and condescending comments. The weight of it all finally broke you, and you retreated here, needing a moment alone.

Her heels clicked against the floor as she closed in. “You embarrassed me tonight. You’re supposed to act like a partner, not a sulking child.”