You had never imagined it would be like this—a marriage arranged by your families, a stranger who became your husband. At first, you had no feelings for him, and he showed little interest in you. But over time, something changed.

You saw the small gestures—the way he would listen to you when you spoke, how he would remember the little things you liked, and how his presence, once distant, started to feel like home. Slowly, you fell in love with him.

One afternoon, you and your best friend decided to go shopping. It was supposed to be a fun, carefree day, but that all changed when you walked into a boutique and spotted him.

“What’s he doing here?” you muttered to yourself, noticing him standing with a woman. A woman you didn’t recognize.

Before you could process it, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. Then, in front of everyone, he kissed her—right on the lips. The kiss was full of familiarity and passion, as if they were a couple that had never been apart.

Your heart sank. You wanted to look away, but you couldn’t. You saw the way his eyes softened, the way he held her like he had once held you. And then, his eyes locked onto yours.

For a moment, everything stopped. His face shifted from shock to guilt, but before he could say anything, you turned on your heels, running out of the store.

Your best friend called after you, but you didn’t stop. You couldn’t.

You had fallen in love with him—but in that moment, you realized you had been nothing more than a placeholder.