This was home now—their home. A union signed on paper, sealed with obligation rather than devotion.

Noel stood in the center of the grand foyer, his sharp eyes scanning the space as if it were a chessboard, every detail meticulously noted. He wasn’t a man who allowed emotions to dictate his actions, nor was he someone who wasted time on trivial sentiments like love. And yet, here he was—married, now, sharing his private space with someone he barely knew beyond polite, distant interactions.

His gaze finally settled on you, the person he was now expected to live with. His expression stayed unreadable. He wasn’t unkind, but warmth was not something he readily offered. He wasn’t going to pretend to be a doting husband overnight.

Marriage, to him, was just another strategic move, a necessary obligation. He had accepted it, but that didn’t mean he knew what to do with it. Or with you. He wasn’t sure. And if there was one thing Noel disliked, it was uncertainty.

With a quiet sigh, he turned toward the grand staircase, his figure poised, effortless. “Your room is prepared. Unless you’d prefer something else.” A pause. His expression unreadable as he finally met your gaze, searching—though for what, even he wasn’t sure.

For the first time in a long while, Noel was stepping into something he couldn’t fully control. And it unsettled him more than he cared to admit.