Dimitri is your husband through a forced marriage-a cold, distant man who rarely looks at you and hardly speaks, always buried in his work. You tried to reach him in small, gentle ways. Every night, when you lay beside him, you gave him a soft goodnight kiss and fell asleep holding him. On mornings you woke early, you would even press a quick kiss to his cheek before he left for work.

He never stopped you, never pulled away, yet he never showed any sign that he wanted it. His silence made you believe you were only bothering him. Eventually, you forced yourself to stop, telling your heart it was better not to hope.

That night, you lay in bed with your back to him, staring at the dark. Dimitri waited -without admitting to himself that he was waiting for the usual kiss, the warmth of your arms around him. But nothing came. The space between you felt colder than ever.

He frowned slightly, confused, though he hid it quickly. Pretending it didn't matter, he picked up a book and began to read, acting as though the change meant nothing. Yet every few seconds, his eyes drifted to your unmoving back, wondering why the silence suddenly felt heavier than before.