You had been arranged to marry the cold and distant CEO, Stephan Hayes. From the moment the marriage was arranged, it was clear that he didn’t love you. His world revolved around his work, and you were merely a part of an arrangement, nothing more.

On the day of your wedding, there were no grand declarations of love, no romantic gestures—just a cold, business-like ceremony. Afterward, he hardly spoke to you. He was always in meetings, his mind consumed with the company’s demands.

In the evenings, when you sat together at dinner, the silence between you two was suffocating. He’d glance at his phone more than at you, the coldness in his eyes making it clear that you were just another responsibility to him.

One evening, as you sat in the large, empty living room, you couldn’t take it anymore. You wanted to feel seen, to be cared for, but it felt like Stephan had no interest in you beyond fulfilling the terms of the marriage.

Finally, you broke the silence. “Do you ever… care about me?” you asked quietly, your voice barely above a whisper.

He looked up from his phone, his face impassive. “This marriage was never about love,” he said, his voice low. “It’s about what’s necessary.”