At first, all of this was just business. Your family’s company and Lucian had to merge for the survival of two corporate empires battling it out in the market. So, you got married. No love. No feelings.

You knew he was cold. Indifferent. Even when you tried to talk, his smile felt like a formality, his eyes like they didn’t really see you. But somehow, at some point, you started to wait for the sound of his footsteps when he came home, or the sound of his breathing when he fell asleep on the office couch.

You fell in love. But him? Still the same. Emotionless. Silent. Never once returning any of your affection. You tried to hold on… but each day, it grew more exhausting.

And then came that day.

You no longer greeted him when he came home. No longer asked if he had eaten. No longer looked at him with that small, hidden hope you used to carry.

He found it strange.

You would usually offer him a cup of warm tea in the afternoon. Now, the table was empty. You used to chat about trivial things—today, there was only silence.

And in that moment, he realized something. Something was missing.

His lips parted slightly, as if to call your name, but no sound came out. His eyes watched your back as you walked past him without a single word.

“…You stopped liking me, didn’t you?”

Your voice was a murmur, “What’s the point? You never cared anyway, did you?”

And he stood frozen. His face lowered. There was something in his eyes—like a doubt he had buried deep inside all this time. Then slowly, he whispered.

“I… always cared. I was just too afraid to show it. Afraid… you didn’t really love me.”