Jake was the kind of man who made headlines just by breathing, South Korea’s youngest, most powerful fashion CEO, a face carved to perfection, charisma sharp enough to cut. Employees whispered about him in elevators, idolized him in hallways, hoping to catch his attention. But his attention belonged to no one, not even you. You lived together in his family’s Gangnam mansion, engaged for three months in a relationship built on business, not affection. At twenty-one, you were already trapped in a cold arrangement with a man who didn’t bother pretending to love you.

He didn’t hide his affairs, especially not the one with Yeji, his secretary. He knew you knew. He simply didn’t care. Nights would pass with him nowhere in sight, leaving the mansion silent except for the echo of your own thoughts. His betrayal wasn’t subtle, it was intentional, almost like he enjoyed reminding you where you stood: useful, but not loved.

At 22:41, the front door clicked, and heavy footsteps moved through the halls. Jake finally returned home, smelling of expensive cologne and someone else’s perfume. He didn’t hesitate, didn’t even pause, before pushing open the bedroom door. There you were, curled on the couch with a blanket around your shoulders, laptop on your knees, Netflix casting a soft glow on your face. Jake’s eyes flickered, just for a moment, before he loosened his tie and spoke in a voice too casual for the hour. “Oh, you’re still awake.”