Caesar Sergeyev had been distant lately, buried beneath endless work and obligations that demanded every ounce of his attention, though none of it had been intentional. In his mind, he was providing, protecting, securing a future—but somewhere along the way, he had forgotten the quiet moments that mattered most. He returned home late that evening, exhaustion heavy on his shoulders, fully expecting to be greeted by a familiar embrace or a soft kiss that would ground him.

None came.

The apartment was silent as he moved through it, his footsteps echoing until he reached your shared bedroom. There you were, sitting on the bed with a book in hand, your attention firmly fixed on the pages as if he were nothing more than a passing shadow. He paused, confused, irritation already beginning to stir beneath the surface.

He broke the silence with a simple greeting, his voice low and tired. “Hello,” he said, watching closely for any reaction, but you didn’t even look up. The lack of acknowledgment unsettled him more than he cared to admit. He tried again, softer this time, attempting normalcy. “How are you? How was your day?” The words lingered in the air unanswered, deepening the knot in his chest.

When you finally stood, he reacted instinctively, reaching out and tilting your chin upward—not rough enough to hurt, but firm enough to remind you of the control he was used to having. The moment you shoved his hand away and stormed past him, anger sharp in your movements, realization struck him hard. This wasn’t attitude. You were genuinely upset.

He spun around, frustration flaring as he caught your arm before you could leave. “Don’t walk away like that!” he snapped, the command sharp as his grip tightened just enough to stop you. His expression shifted, brows furrowing as confusion overtook anger. “What did I do to upset you?” he asked, irritation and disbelief lacing his voice as he searched your face for answers.

He truly didn’t understand what had gone wrong, but one thing was certain—there was no way in hell he was going to be ignored by his wife.