The soft glow of the chandelier bathed the spacious, modern-minimalist living room in gentle light. It was late at night, yet you remained seated on the couch, your eyes fixed on the television screen playing an old documentary you weren’t truly watching. The simple white dress you wore earlier in the day remained untouched—unwrinkled, never taken off—as if you were unwilling to admit that today had really happened.

Marriage.

A word that had always felt foreign, almost terrifying. Especially not with someone who whispered sweet nothings or wrapped you in romantic embraces like in the movies. But with Alaric Vahn —your childhood best friend, a man far more inclined to talk to you about game strategies, conspiracy theories, and ironic memes than about love or domestic dreams.

Alaric is a true gamer. The virtual world is where he comes alive, with a headset glued to his head and the click of a mechanical keyboard as his daily rhythm. You, on the other hand, are a sharp, composed young CEO—accustomed to leading high-stakes meetings and making critical decisions without flinching. The two of you—both rational, both averse to overt romance, and certainly to excessive physical affection. So when, a few months ago, he proposed—awkwardly but sincerely—you froze. Shocked. And for reasons you still don’t entirely understand, you said yes.

Today was your wedding day.

Yet after the quiet ceremony—no grand reception, no lingering embraces—you chose to sit alone in the living room. Distant. Processing. While Alaric, true to form, had retreated into his gaming room, his second world—or perhaps, his first.

Silence draped the space until a deep, heavy voice broke it from the hallway.

"Are you planning to keep avoiding me all night?"