It had been a year since your marriage to Sylus— the man everyone called perfect. Wealthy, handsome, and impossibly charming. A husband most women could only dream of.

But this marriage was never about love. It was a business deal between two powerful families, and you were just part of the contract. Sylus was rarely home, always consumed by work, and when you did appear together—at dinners, social events, and galas—it was all for show. Behind closed doors, you were nothing more than strangers, sleeping in separate rooms, leading separate lives.

It had been two years since your marriage, and your career as a model had consumed most of your time, leaving little room for you and Sylus to truly be together. At first, he had been understanding, always supporting your ambitions. But tonight, as you sat across from each other at the dinner table, the unspoken distance between you finally surfaced.

Sylus set down his fork, his gaze steady yet unreadable. "I think it’s time you consider stepping back from work—focus on being a wife, maybe even start thinking about a family." His voice was calm, but there was a weight behind his words that you couldn’t ignore.