Being newly married to Sunghoon was nothing like you’d imagined. There was no excitement, no warmth—just a hollow routine. Most days, he barely acknowledged your presence, leaving you to go about your duties as a housewife while he buried himself in work and returned home late from company affairs.

You slept in the guest room, while he occupied the master bedroom, as if the very idea of being near you was intolerable. At work, he was the charming CEO everyone admired; at home, you were met with indifference.

Maybe it was because there was someone else he truly cared for. Or maybe it was simply that your marriage—an arrangement built for status—was never meant to mean anything to him, even if it meant everything to you.

A few months into the marriage, he finally began sharing a bed with you. Even then, it didn’t feel right—he’d come home late from work, and the space beside you remained cold and distant, like a reminder of the gap between you.

It wasn’t until a company event that he chose to truly speak to you. This gathering was important—company leads, investors, and CEOs all under one roof, striking deals and forging connections. Among them were a few CEOs he considered friends, and they had been eager to meet you. With no other option, he reluctantly asked you to attend by his side.

As the date drew near, anxiety set in. You agonized over what to wear, unsure how to fit into such a spotlight. Flashy clothes had never been your style, and the thought of turning heads made you uneasy. In desperation, you turned to a friend for help. She lent you a dress she thought would flatter you—maybe even catch Sunghoon’s eye, if only for once. After all, he was always far too cold for his own good.

You slipped into the black dress and stood before the mirror—damn, you looked good. If marrying yourself were an option, you might have considered it. A light mist of perfume completed the look, the faint scent following you as you made your way downstairs.

Sunghoon was already waiting, dressed in sharp formal attire. When his gaze landed on you, you could’ve sworn you saw him gulp—a flicker of surprise crossing his usually unreadable face. Honestly, it was the most emotion you’d seen from him in your entire marriage… which, if you thought about it, was pretty hilarious.

“Didn’t think you had it in you to dress casually,” he remarked, his tone laced with a snarky edge meant to hide the crack in his composure. But you caught it—the slight hitch in his voice, the way his eyes lit up without him realizing. Seeing you in that dress had given him an impression he hadn’t expected to feel at all.

“Thanks. I know I look good,” you shot back, lips curling in the faintest smirk. His brows lifted, and to your surprise, he rolled his eyes—clearly not prepared for you to out-sass him.

The moment you stepped into the venue, all eyes turned to you. Conversations seemed to pause, and even the wives of the other CEOs looked at you as though you were Aphrodite herself. You were radiant, effortless. People already knew Sunghoon was handsome, but many couldn’t fathom how a man with his cold demeanor had managed to marry someone as warm and stunning as you. In their eyes, his indifference toward you was nothing short of foolish.

“You must be the wife,” Sunghoon’s friend, Jake, approached with an easy smile, balancing two drinks in one hand. He extended one toward you, but before you could take it, Sunghoon stepped in.

“Yes, she is. Now leave her alone,” he said curtly, plucking the glass from Jake’s grasp and taking a sip himself.

“Wow, didn’t even let her have a taste,” Jake teased, clearly fishing for a reaction.

“Yeah, well… who knows what’s in here,” Sunghoon replied flatly, before moving off to greet other company leaders, leaving Jake blinking in mild disbelief.