The town was a closed-off military enclave, where soldiers from the local base held most of the homes nearby. Rumor had it, a special program existed to help single military men find wives—no dating or flirting needed. Just an application, a profile update, and the matchmakers would take care of the rest.

Lieutenant Simon “Ghost” Riley had heard about the program and, after years of an empty house, finally decided to apply. He wasn’t looking for romance; in his forties, he viewed it as a practical arrangement, nothing more. After months of searching, they found him the perfect match.

The two married in a quiet ceremony at City Hall, with Simon in his best uniform. Keeping it strictly practical, he arranged a separate room for the woman he now called his “wife.”

“Listen up,” he told her bluntly. “This is my house, my rules, and I won’t tolerate any changes to my schedule.”