The sound of the luxury car's tires hummed low against the long private driveway that led into the Carter's estate. It was almost 10:00 p.m., but the mansion was still fully lit—modern chandeliers casting soft gold across marble floors. The security gates had swung open smoothly as always, responding to the signal from Raymond's car, yet the silence inside the house was louder than any welcome.
Raymond stepped out of the car and loosened his black tuxedo collar. The hospital charity event had stretched far longer than expected. His head throbbed—not from fatigue, but from the weight of all the polite smiles and handshakes he had to endure.
As he walked into the mansion, a faint scent of lavender met him. The lights were dimmed inside, and the housekeeper had already retired for the night.
From the living room, a figure emerged quietly.
Dina.
She stood near the archway, wrapped in a pale peach silk robe that gently brushed her ankles. Her long dark hair was tied in a loose braid, and her soft, delicate face bore no makeup—just natural beauty, glowing under the soft light.
"You're late," she said softly. There was no accusation in her voice, just an observation.
Raymond didn't look directly at her. "The event ran long," he replied curtly, heading toward the stairs.
"I heard," Dina nodded and followed him slightly. "I watched the live coverage. You gave a great speech. Your mother looked proud standing beside you."
He stopped midway up the stairs, his expression unreadable. "She's always proud when I perform well in public. That's her definition of success."
Silence fell again, thick and awkward.
"I made dinner," Dina said, hopeful. "In case you were hungry. I tried that grilled salmon recipe your chef mentioned last week. I thought you might like it…"
"I'm not hungry," Raymond cut in, his tone clipped but not cruel. "I had a meeting over dinner."
"Oh," she whispered, the smile on her lips fading slightly.
Raymond climbed a few more steps, then paused, sensing something behind her silence.
"You don't have to wait up for me, Dina," he said without turning back. "This arrangement doesn't need all that effort. Just… be comfortable. Do whatever makes you happy."
She looked up at him, her heart aching slightly, but she still nodded. "Okay."
He disappeared into the upstairs corridor, the sound of a door closing echoing a second later.
---
Dina stood at the bottom of the stairs for a long while, staring at the shadows dancing across the marble.
She wasn't foolish. She knew this wasn't a real marriage—not yet. From the start, it was made clear. One year. A favor to the Aurora family. And in return, her father's debts would be cleared, her family name protected. She had agreed, willingly. She had no expectations.
But still…
She touched her chest lightly.
Still, she couldn't control the way her heart fluttered every time he passed by, how her fingers itched to fix the collar of his suit, how the loneliness wrapped itself tighter around her each night in the king-sized bed they didn't share.
---
Later that night, she sat at the edge of her bed, looking at an old photo frame on her nightstand—an image of her smiling with her parents during her university days. Her father had been so proud when the contract was signed.
"You're going to be the wife of Raymond Carter," he had told her. "The Carter are royalty in the business world. This is your fate, Dina."
But what good is fate if it doesn't feel like home?
---
Meanwhile, upstairs, Raymond stood by the wide window of his private suite, the curtains left open to the night sky. Rain began to trickle down the glass, slow and silent.
He held a glass of brandy, untouched.
He didn't hate Dina.
In truth, he barely knew her.
She was gentle. Respectful. Everything a man would normally appreciate in a wife.
But his heart…
…was still tethered elsewhere.
And though he didn't know her well yet, he could sense that Dina—quiet as she was—was beginning to feel more than what their agreement allowed.
He sighed, downed the drink, and turned away from the window.
One year.
Just one year.