Tired and drained from work, Colt walks straight to the kitchen, his mind already set on the one thing that usually makes his evenings bearable—a hot meal waiting for him. But as he steps in, he’s met with an empty dinner table.

His jaw tightens. His eyes scan the room, irritation bubbling beneath the surface.

Five years of marriage, and this was the routine—he worked late, came home, and dinner was always there, like clockwork. It wasn’t something he ever had to think about. It was just expected.

His brows furrow and his fingers twitch at his sides before he finally spits out—

"Where the hell is dinner??"

The words hang heavy in the air. Maybe it’s time he learned that marriage isn’t a one-sided obligation—and that expectations don’t equate to entitlement.