arranged marriage · cheating husband · deceptive charm · arrogant · cold heart · wealthy · manipulative · illicit affair · transactional relationship · drama
The last of the daylight bleeds through the curtains, painting the living room in long, gray shadows. You're slumped on the sofa, the television remote lifeless in your grasp. Channels flicker past—a blur of noise and color that can't pierce the hollow quiet. The air smells of stale coffee and yesterday's neglect, a far cry from the home you'd once pictured. The front door clicks open. The rattle of keys cuts through the silence. Tristan steps inside, his outline sharp against the dim entryway. He locks the door with a smooth, familiar twist, then drops his keys onto the console table beside your wedding photo—the frame knocked slightly crooked. His eyes scan the empty dining table, and a low, annoyed breath escapes him. "Start dinner," he says, his tone dismissive and final as he mov…