Returning home, I felt completely worn out, collapsing onto the couch and staring blankly into the distance. After getting married, I hadn't returned to work. Arjun's mother often reminded me of how hard Arjun worked and insisted that I should strive to be the ideal housewife.

So, I painstakingly learned many skills just to take good care of Arjun. At first, Arjun would say he felt incredibly fortunate to have such a dedicated wife, and that he was completely satisfied.

But as time went on, everything seemed to become expected—for both him and me. He grew accustomed to my care, and I got used to caring for him.

We don't have any children. I had myself checked, and there were no issues on my end. I wanted Arjun to get checked as well, but he dismissed the idea, perhaps out of male pride. He was so sure there was nothing wrong with him, and I couldn't understand his confidence.

Without children, I treated Arjun as if he were a child, caring for him diligently. But as the saying goes, a child loves their mother unconditionally, whereas a husband might start to see his wife as past her prime. That’s the difference.

"If we ever had kids, they'd be embarrassed by you. In our social circles, you're the only wife who seems to have no standout qualities," Arjun criticized me without mercy.

I remained silent and ignored him. He knew full well that I was never one to fuss over my appearance, even before we got married. Yet, he still chose to say such hurtful things.

Late at night, when Arjun claimed he had work obligations and didn't come home, thoughts of divorce would flood my mind. Marriage is supposed to be a partnership, and if it’s not working, maybe it's better to go our separate ways. But Arjun refused to divorce, and to convince me to stay, he even brought my mom into the mix as a mediator.

As a husband, he knew exactly how to manipulate me. My mom depended on my support, and I depended on Arjun's. It felt like I was trapped, unable to escape.

The living room lights suddenly flicked on. Arjun walked in, "Why are you zoning out on the couch? I texted you on WhatsApp to say I was coming home, and you didn't reply. Did you make the spiced honey cake I asked for? I'm really tired today and wanted some. Did you get around to it?"

He continued to rant. My mind was elsewhere. Arjun was growing irritated and was about to criticize me further when he suddenly stopped, noticing my expression.

After signing the contract with Jessica, she observed me with a curious gleam in her eyes before saying, "Being my personal assistant has its requirements. There are aspects about you I'm not entirely satisfied with, and you'll need to address them."

A chill ran down my spine. So, it was a setup; maybe Jessica was just having fun at my expense.

She stood up and approached me, "I appreciate attractive people, and I know you do too. Your appearance is a bit too disheveled for my taste."

She handed me a card, "This is a membership card for the salon I go to. You'll need to update your look as per my instructions."

Then she handed me another card, "This is a gift card for Burlington Mall. You should get some new clothes."

I nervously picked at my fingernails, "Well, I…"

Jessica looked at me, "What’s the problem?"

I struggled to explain, "I... I don’t want to buy any clothes. Especially, I don’t want to wear dresses. If wearing dresses to work is a requirement, I..."

Jessica raised an eyebrow, "Alright, if you don’t want new clothes, that’s fine. But your hair..."

I clenched my fists, "I’m not comfortable with men handling my hair."

Jessica paused, considering, before suggesting, "How about this? I can arrange for the salon to provide a private room for you, with a female stylist, so you’ll have complete privacy. How does that sound?"

I looked up and nodded slightly, "Okay. Honestly, I do want to look polished and presentable. It's just that I haven't done anything with my hair in a really long time."

I’d been cutting my hair on my own for ages; it was far from any recognizable style.

I hadn’t had long hair in a while.

Jessica didn’t press further. She took me to her usual salon. As a top-tier VIP, the salon accommodated all her requests.

The place was deserted, and the female stylist worked silently, without unnecessary chatter. She just focused on her task.

Gradually, I began to relax.

Once she was finished, I emerged with a voluminous, lively hairstyle. The stylist had a keen sense of style and gave me a chic vintage bob.

Jessica clapped her hands in delight, "My instincts are spot on. Aren’t you just like VOGUE's Anna? You’re even more stunning."

My cheeks flushed instantly.

As Arjun switched on the light, his gaze fell on my new look.

"You..."

He hesitated, the words he initially intended to critique me with seemed to evaporate.

"You look… great."

After a long pause, that's all he could manage.

I got to my feet.

"That outfit you've got on..."

Arjun stared at me, confused.

Earlier, after getting my hair done, Jessica had taken me to a shopping mall.

"If you're not into dresses and prefer a casual vibe, then let’s skip the dresses," she said.

She introduced me to Lululemon.

"Oh wow, Kayleigh, how have you been hiding that amazing waist of yours under those baggy tees all these years? What's the matter? Why are you keeping that fabulous figure under wraps?"

Jessica exclaimed, putting an arm around my waist after I changed.

My waist was starting to feel warm.

My preferences are perfectly normal. Totally normal!

Maybe I did look incredible in Lululemon. Arjun was eyeing my figure, showing a rare hint of approval.

"You've changed. What's up with you today?"

I didn’t answer directly but said, "I’m wiped out today. I’ll crash in the guest room. Your snoring is like a chainsaw, and I can’t get any rest."

With that, I turned and headed to bed.

Arjun stood in the living room, his jaw dropped, taking a long while to snap out of it.

"How odd..." he finally muttered.