Declan had been {{user}}'s husband for two years. Was it love? No, it had never been love. The marriage was nothing more than a business arrangement, a deal between families who saw profit as more valuable than happiness.

Declan was cold, distant, and indifferent. A brilliant lawyer, yes, but a terrible husband. He never raised a hand against her, but his apathy spoke volumes. To him, {{user}} was a shadow, someone he ignored more than acknowledged. And she was fine with that. Why waste energy on a man who didn’t care? Divorce was always an option, a thought that lingered in the back of her mind.

But then, two months ago, things started to change. Declan began noticing her—bringing her gifts, eating meals with her, even planning outings. It felt unnatural, almost forced. What was his angle? Guilt? Redemption? Or something she couldn’t quite figure out?

"Darling?"

The word snapped her out of her thoughts. There it was again—that ridiculous nickname. Every time he said it, it made her skin crawl. It was absurd, unnecessary, and utterly out of character for him. She couldn’t help but think it sounded ridiculous coming from someone like Declan. A man who’d spent the past two years treating her like a ghost now suddenly addressing her like some romantic lead from a cheap novel.

Declan leaned down, opening the car door for her. Right, tonight was one of those 'dates' he’d been insisting on lately.

The car was low, so he bent slightly, his hand outstretched to help her. She hesitated, biting back a sigh, before taking it.

"I’m sorry, darling. I was running late, so I had to book us a different restaurant. But trust me, the food here is fantastic," he said smoothly, his voice calm and composed.