a husband without love, emotional labor, or excessive inconvenience. She leaned back on her couc

he rem

an V

ch twisted slightly as the reality hit. She was married. Legally, and to a man she had never met in person. And not just any man, but a reclusiv

. Surely the agency had made a clerical error. She refres

whispered. "No, no, no.

from comfortably lazy to terrifyingly co

-

her. Her apartment felt smaller, her room darker, the air heavier. She tried to shake it off.

new notification. It was

ontact you to discuss preliminary arrangement

instinct was to delete her email account entirely. But rational Emily, the

eath, she tapped

ers

smiley faces. No indicatio

-

through. Emily's phone sc

Not from romance.

voice unsteady desp

said on the other end. Perfectly modulated, slightl

eting with her hoodie s

a pause, then he added, casually, "I

ed. "In person? Uh...

ent felt unbearably small again, suffocating her with the re

-

ng. She calculated every possible scenario: a fake meeting, a staged disagreement,

moving out temporarily, changing her phone number, even renting a separ

-

an Vale online, combing through news articles, interviews, and vague social media mentions. Every p

y. She chose neutral colors, minimal jewelry, and practical shoes. Her hair was

r a knowing glance. She passed through security, heart pounding, until

-

d of presence that made the world feel smaller around hi

hed. His handshake was firm, confident, and stra

a polite smil

y, asking questions about her expectations, boundaries, and lifestyle. Emily answered wit

nothing t

-

Not his power. Something else. A familiarity she couldn't place

erous. Her plan was simple: marry, survive, divorce, live fr

ant. She had navigated the first encounter without compromising her princ

t on her pen n

red. Vale... Why did tha

for reflection. She had plans to execute, s

silently noting every detail of their meeting, every word she

This was the beginning of a pur

rker had

rse, was exactly