Gian moved toward Aurelia slowly, almost soundless, closing the small distance between them. His warm breath brushed her face, and it felt like the room itself was shrinking around them.

Aurelia swallowed hard. Her body went stiff, her instincts firing off warnings.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked softly, her voice trembling. It barely rose above the tension hanging thick between them.

Gian lifted an eyebrow, his lips curling slightly. "Be my wife... completely."

Aurelia frowned. "I... I am your wife."

He shook his head lightly, quick, as if mocking the logic she'd just spoken. "I want proof. And help."

"H-help with what?"

His gaze dropped, sharp and intense. "Make me feel confident again. Bring back my desire."

Aurelia froze. Her breath hitched. Words nearly slipped away from her. "I... I'm not a doctor, Gian. So-"

"You're my wife. Your job is to make me feel like a man again."

In an instant, Gian leaned even closer. Aurelia's heart thrashed against her ribs. But before their breaths could fully collide, a phone rang, slicing through the moment. Gian exhaled sharply, grabbing the phone from his pocket.

Before answering, he looked straight into Aurelia's eyes and said, "I'll cover your tuition. Not a single cent from the Alvaro family. So think carefully... before I change my mind."

Then he turned and walked away, leaving Aurelia with a tight chest and a storm in her head.

That night, dinner was served earlier than usual. Only two chairs were occupied at the long dining table that was normally quiet. Mrs. Lestari was still out at her social gathering. It was just the two of them.

They ate in silence. Only the soft clinks of silverware filled the air. Aurelia stole glances at Gian now and then, trying to read the mind that always seemed locked shut.

When dinner was nearly finished, Aurelia gathered her courage. She went back to her room, grabbed her phone, and opened a loan app. She filled in her information, hoping-desperately-that she could find another way to pay for college without relying on Gian.

But the screen displayed a single message:

"Your ID cannot be processed. Status linked to the Alvaro family entity. Loan access denied."

Aurelia froze. Her hands shook. She tried another app. Same result. All of them declined her-even for the smallest loan.

She walked back to the dining room. Gian was still seated, sipping tea. Aurelia glared at him.

"You know what? I can't borrow a single penny. Because all my access is blocked. Because of your last name!"

Gian shrugged. "You won't get a loan anywhere. Your access is limited. I'm the only hope you've got."

Aurelia scoffed. "You're impossible. Taking advantage. Manipulative. Cold! You're such a jerk!"

Gian looked at her calmly. "We're a married couple. What's wrong with that?"

Aurelia fell silent. But inside, everything was in chaos.

She swallowed again. Her heart pounded so fast it felt like it might explode. Part of her wanted to argue, scream, insist that their marriage wasn't love, wasn't her choice. But deep down... he wasn't wrong. They were married. Legally documented. On paper, Gian was her husband. She couldn't deny it.

"What's wrong is the way you say it," Aurelia whispered, her voice shaking. "You talk like... I belong to you. Like I'm something you can use whenever you want."

Gian raised an eyebrow over the rim of his glass.

"You think I don't feel like I've been used too?" he replied calmly. "I didn't ask for this marriage either. But here we are. So we play our parts. You want college. I want something in return. Isn't that fair?"

Aurelia's stomach churned at the word "return." She wasn't an object. But she also had almost no options left.

"If you want us to play parts," she said softly, "then we should respect each other. Not pressure each other."

Gian didn't answer. A faint smile tugged at his lips-not mocking, but almost... intrigued. As if Aurelia had just revealed a side he'd never noticed before.

Late that night, Aurelia returned to her room. She stared at her reflection in the big mirror near the wardrobe. Her eyes looked dull. Her head was crowded with thoughts she couldn't even begin to voice.

She opened the desk drawer, pulled out the college brochure she had secretly kept since before the wedding. Her fingers brushed the glossy paper as if trying to absorb the hope printed on it. She wasn't giving up. She couldn't.

The next morning, she woke early. She made breakfast: boiled eggs, toasted whole-wheat bread, a glass of orange juice. She didn't want another kitchen disaster. This time she followed every step from the cooking video she'd watched in secret the night before.

When Gian came downstairs, the table was already set neatly. He paused, looking at the breakfast, then at her.

"Not afraid you'll burn down the kitchen again?" he asked flatly, though there was a faint teasing note in his voice.

"I learned," Aurelia said. "Isn't that one of the requirements to be your wife?"

Gian sat. He picked up the spoon and tried the juice first.

"Not bad," he said simply. "Though the juice is too sweet. But... it'll do."

Aurelia felt a small warmth bloom in her chest. But she knew this wasn't enough to change him. This was a tiny step. Very tiny.

The following days settled into a strange rhythm. Gian wasn't as cold anymore, but he wasn't exactly warm either. Sometimes he came home late. Sometimes he only nodded when Aurelia spoke. But he ate every breakfast she made. And that little bit was enough to keep her going.

But whenever college came up, Gian responded with the same vague line:

"We'll see."

"Please, Gian. The deadline is the day after tomorrow. I'll do anything as long as it's not... that condition," Aurelia pleaded.

But Gian always said, "That's my only condition."

Until one evening, everything changed.

Gian came home early. His face looked tired, his tie loose, his hair slightly messy. Aurelia was in the living room watching TV alone. When she saw him enter, she stood, ready to make him tea.

"Wait," Gian said, stopping her.

Aurelia turned. "Yes?"

He exhaled and walked closer. "I already transferred your college registration payment. You can go confirm it tomorrow."

Aurelia froze.

"But... I haven't agreed to-"

"I told you I'd cover it. Without using the family's money. And I kept my word."

Aurelia stood there, stunned. Her hand curled into a small fist, her eyes growing glossy.

"Thank you..." she whispered.

"Don't thank me yet," Gian replied. "Because I want you to prove something."

"What is it?"

"That you're not just some reckless girl chasing a dream. But..."

"You have to fix me. Bring my confidence back."

Aurelia froze where she stood, while Gian closed the distance between them in just a few quick steps. The sudden proximity made her spin around instinctively.

"I-I'm not that kind of woman," she stammered, inching away as her hands flew up to guard her chest.

"I know," Gian shot back immediately. "You're my wife, Aurelia."

He said it right beside her left ear, making her flinch and shiver at the same time. His voice was too close-low, steady-and it slid under her skin like a blade. His breath brushed her neck, stirring a strange, unnameable sensation inside her.

Aurelia faced him again. She wanted to get angry, to push him away and reject all of this. But her tongue refused to move. Her body locked up under emotions she couldn't sort out. Gian didn't even touch her, yet the weight of his stare made it hard to breathe.

The next morning, Aurelia's scream tore through the quiet room the moment she opened her eyes and found a tall, broad-shouldered man lying beside her. She jolted backward so fast she nearly fell off the bed, her heart racing wildly. The messy strands of her long black hair stuck to her cheek, her face still pale from shock.

"Wh–what is this?!" she cried.

Gian blinked awake, startled but far from bothered. He simply sat up at the edge of the bed, brushing a hand through his tousled hair. His lean build was outlined under a thin T-shirt and loose lounge pants, making his presence impossible to ignore.

"Relax," he said flatly. "I didn't do anything."

"Wh–Why were you sleeping here?!"

"Because I'm your husband. And we share a room. Besides, I already paid for your tuition. Don't forget that."

Aurelia opened her mouth to argue, but no words came out. She bit her lower lip hard. Silence. Resignation. Anger simmered underneath her skin, tangled with guilt. She knew this mess started because she begged him in the first place.

She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. But before she could get up, Gian's voice stopped her cold.

"The doctor said there's nothing wrong with my health. So... I just need practice."

Aurelia frowned, confused. "Practice? Practice what?"

Gian turned to her. His sharp eyes locked onto hers-commanding, unblinking, almost stripping her bare. A faint smirk tugged at the mouth that rarely ever smiled.

"Do I really have to spell it out?"

Aurelia froze. Heat rushed to her face instantly. Her lips parted, but nothing came out. She backed away from the side of the bed, instinctively seeking distance.

"Gian... I don't understand. If this is some kind of joke, then please... stop."

"You said you'd do anything," Gian replied as he stood. His height dwarfed her completely. The difference between them wasn't just visible-it was palpable. She felt swallowed whole by his shadow.

Aurelia lowered her gaze. Part of her wanted to run away. But another part... knew she couldn't. Not this time.

Gian walked toward the door. Before his hand reached the knob, he said-without looking back:

"You'll still go to college. I've taken care of it. But your promise... isn't paid off yet."

Aurelia stared at his back, her chest tightening. She wanted to yell, to scream that she wasn't a puppet. But Gian was already gone-leaving questions swirling in her head like a storm she couldn't escape.

The day crawled painfully slow. Every step felt heavy, every corner of the house seemed to watch her. She cleaned the living room, folded clothes, even forced herself back into the kitchen to practice cooking. But everything tasted like dust. The spark she usually had was gone. An old childhood wound stirred-being compared to her sister all over again.

She remembered how her mother used to say, "Devina's smarter than you. Devina's more mature. Learn from your sister."

And now, even in this house, Devina's shadow lingered. She felt like a replacement. Someone chosen out of necessity, not desire. Maybe Gian, in his silence, felt the same-that she wasn't the wife he was supposed to have.

As dusk settled, Aurelia sat alone in the living room, watching the soft orange glow slip through the curtains. A strange ache spread across her chest-loneliness, confusion, hurt.

"Am I doing everything wrong?" she whispered, voice trembling. "If I agree to Gian's request... does that make me no different from selling myself?"

Night fell. And still, she didn't return to the room. She kept herself busy with enrollment paperwork, pretending she had a reason to stay out here. Hoping Gian-who might be waiting-would eventually get tired and fall asleep.

By the time the clock struck midnight, she finally shut her laptop and gathered her things. She tiptoed toward the bedroom.

A soft breath escaped her lips when she saw Gian already asleep. She slipped into the bathroom to wash up, then returned wearing a simple cream-colored pajama set. Her hair fell freely down her back, her warm brown skin glowing under the dim bedside lamp.

Sitting at the edge of the bed, she turned toward Gian. His face was calm, his breathing steady. But then his lips moved-barely-and the faint murmur that escaped them made her blood go cold.

"De...vina..."

Aurelia froze.

Her body turned to stone.

And for a moment, the world simply... stopped.