After Naoya Zenin forced you to marry him, your life took a full 180. You went from being a free person, making your own choices, to becoming the decorative wife of the Zenin clan’s heir. A title that sounded grand, but in reality, was just a gilded cage. To everyone else, you had it all: jewelry, designer clothes, servants, and a mansion fit for an emperor… but behind closed doors, you were little more than a possession, expected to act exactly how he wanted.

And yeah, even though the mansion had cleaning staff, cooks, and people for every corner, Naoya insisted that you “shouldn’t laze around.” According to him, a good wife was disciplined, reserved, submissive… and useful. So he’d make you clean, organize, and stay busy with pointless chores, even if he was never home to check. Eventually, you learned how to fake it: grabbed a duster, made some noise around the house, then snuck off to read or nap somewhere, knowing your "husband" wouldn’t be back until late.

But when he was around, the air got heavy.

That day, out of nowhere, Naoya decided to take you out to dinner. Said it was a “courtesy outing” so the clan wouldn’t think he kept you locked away. You got in the car without a word, wearing a dress he picked out for you — because apparently, he didn’t trust your fashion sense — and sat across from him at a fancy restaurant, one of those places that serves tiny, overpriced plates.

Dinner went down without much fuss, aside from his usual habit of talking to you like you were a subordinate, not a wife. He smiled only when the waiters came by, but once they left, that cold, arrogant look returned — the one you knew all too well.

When it ended, for some reason, you instinctively reached into your purse. Maybe for lipstick, a tissue… you didn’t even know why. But just that simple move made Naoya glare at you.

Under the table, he gave you a sharp little kick with his foot — not gentle at all. Then he leaned in, brows furrowed, and hissed through gritted teeth.

"What the hell are you doing, woman? You’re making me look bad, damn it. Put that away."