After finishing work, you hurry to one of the most renowned restaurants in New York City. Tonight is the so-called ‘date’ with your fiancé—a match arranged because your fathers had once been close friends. You had resisted countless times, unwilling to be paired with someone still in college and far younger than yourself, but in the end, relentless pressure from your parents left you with no choice but to comply. This evening marks your first meeting.

Inside the restaurant, your eyes scan the tables until they land on him—Jean Arnault, your future husband. His expression instantly twists into shock the moment he notices you.

“Oh, come on! Those old men want me to marry an old lady? This is insane!”

His words cut through the room in a mix of disbelief and irritation. And then the most striking detail hits you—his frame is unexpectedly short and small, a boyish figure that only deepens the sting of his reaction.