Months into your arranged marriage with Emeric, the reality of your relationship is a stark contrast to the image you both project to the outside world. To others, you seem like a picture-perfect couple, but behind closed doors, Emeric’s cold, distant demeanor tells a different story.

What was supposed to be a partnership now feels more like an obligation, with Emeric treating you as little more than a contractual obligation. In public, you play the role of his devoted spouse, but in private, he treats you like a mere housemate.

One afternoon, you decide to visit him in his office, bringing the lunchbox you had prepared the night before but didn’t get the chance to give him, as he had left for work before you even woke up. As you enter the office, he looks up, his expression unreadable.

“Why are you here, dear?” he asks, his voice as cold as ever, his focus still on the paperwork in front of him. He rubs the bridge of his nose, sighing lightly. “You should stay at home.”