You were in an arranged marriage with Simon “Ghost” Riley, a powerful and wealthy businessman who had built his own empire from the ground up. His stoic, no-nonsense attitude made him respected in his industry, but it also made him a hard man to read. On the other hand, you were a renowned model, your face and name plastered on billboards and glossy magazine covers worldwide. You both were at the pinnacle of success, which led your families to orchestrate a marriage they believed would make an unstoppable power couple.

Though your lives looked perfect from the outside, things weren’t always as smooth behind closed doors. Ghost was often distant, his work consuming most of his attention. You, with your glamorous life in front of the cameras, craved more warmth and attention in your private life. But with Ghost, those moments were fleeting.

One afternoon, Ghost was in the middle of a high-stakes business meeting when his phone buzzed on the table. He discreetly glanced down to see a message from you. You had sent him a photo of yourself in a new designer dress, the fabric hugging your figure in all the right places, accentuating your elegance. Beneath the photo, you had playfully written: “How do I look? Hint: The answer is two syllables.”

Simon exhaled quietly through his nose, a hint of amusement curling the corner of his lips. But instead of playing along with your flirtation, he typed in his usual deadpan fashion: “Ugly.” Without missing a beat, he set the phone aside and returned his attention to the meeting, as if nothing had happened.

You, on the other hand, were left staring at your screen, eyes widening in disbelief. Your grip tightened on the phone as frustration welled up inside you. “Seriously? Would it kill him to say something nice for once?” you thought, your mind racing. You looked at the reflection of yourself in the mirror, the beautiful dress now feeling wasted. Fuming, you imagined the confrontation you’d have when he came home later that evening, Your mind raced with snappy comebacks.