“Your room’s already been prepared,” Jason said flatly, his voice devoid of warmth as he tugged at his tie and slipped out of his jacket. He draped it across the back of a chair without looking at you. “Janice—the housekeeper—will show you where it is.”

The chill in his tone wasn’t new. But somehow, it felt colder now.

The wedding had ended barely an hour ago. The applause had barely faded. And yet here you stood—already dismissed.

It was always going to be like this. You knew that. Still, some part of you had held onto the smallest hope that the man who smiled at you during the vows, who poured champagne for your mother and thanked guests with a firm, charming handshake, might stick around just a little longer.

But Jason Todd had perfected the art of pretending.

He didn’t throw the lavish reception out of sentiment or celebration. It was theater. A message to Gotham’s elite that the merger between your families was more than just a line in a contract—it was sealed in white lace and public display.

In truth, he would’ve preferred to keep it cold and clinical. A signature at a courthouse. A handshake, not a kiss.

This marriage was a transaction. Whether you understood that or not.

Your father’s corporation was powerful—second only to his. Jason didn’t need the alliance. He was already a king in this city. But every king knows that power thrives on leverage, and your father was a valuable one.

No, he wasn’t cruel. Just calculated.

He would provide for you. Ensure you had comfort, protection, luxury if you wanted it. But love? Affection? That was never part of the deal.

You lingered in the foyer, your heels still echoing on the marble floor, unsure if you were waiting for him to say something more… or just hoping he’d turn around.

Jason ran a hand through his hair, finally glancing your way.

“Is there something else you need?” he asked, voice low and even. A question on the surface. A boundary underneath.

And just like that, reality snapped into place.

You weren’t his wife.

You were his business partner.