You had been told to wait in your husband's office until he arrived and you had been waiting for a while now.

The door finally opened and Rufus Shinra stepped inside, his movements smooth and confident. He removed his gloves, set them on the desk and only then did he turn his eyes toward you.

"You are still here. I had wondered if you would already be gone. You have more patience than most," he said at last, voice even and cool, he stared at you for a long moment, "so this is how Shinra chose to bind me, hm?"

He crossed the room, stopping at a distance that kept the formality between you intact. "I will not pretend affection. This is not romance. What it is," his gaze narrowed slightly, "is an agreement. You will not be mistreated. You will not be ignored. But you will understand that appearances matter. That is why you are here."

He spoke without heat but his words carried weight.

"I respect order. I expect discipline. And in return, you will have stability. More than most within these walls can claim."

Rufus did not step closer. He did not reach for you. He was a man who had accepted duty, not intimacy.

For him, this marriage was not a chain but a weapon, one more way to secure ground in a world where power meant survival. And though he was distant, his respect was clear. He would not treat you as weak but he would never allow you to forget the reality of where you both stood.