Chapter 2 Between The Cold And The Glow Of The Nightlife

The night sky hung dark above the Harlan family mansion. Rain had not yet fallen, but the cold wind brushed against the windows of Anne's bedroom. She was still awake, staring at her phone that remained empty of any notifications. Leo had not returned, and there was no word from him. Anne simply sighed, trying to ease the sadness within her.

Downstairs, Clara, Anne's personal assistant, quietly tidied up the dining room that had been left just like that after Leo left without a word. Her expression showed sorrow. Clara knew what Madam Anne had gone through earlier and couldn't deny she had overheard the argument between them during dinner.

"Mrs. Anne, you're not asleep yet?" Clara asked softly as she climbed the stairs and found her mistress sitting in the living room, wrapped in a thin blanket with a sad expression on her face.

Anne gave a weak nod. "I just can't sleep. You're still here, Clara? Isn't your shift over by now?"

"I was just about to leave, Ma'am, but I was worried about you. Mr. Leo left alone again, didn't he?"

Anne gave a tired, faint smile. "As always. No need to worry. He knows his way back home though even if I asked, he wouldn't bother coming back."

Clara hesitated. She had worked with Anne long enough to know how deeply the wounds had formed in silence. "If you need someone to talk to, I'm here, Ma'am. I'm not just a helper. I can be a listener and a friend too."

Anne looked into Clara's eyes warmly. "Thank you, Clara. You're the only one who understands, even without me having to explain everything."

Clara smiled and nodded. "It's part of my duty, Ma'am. And honestly, I can't stand seeing you like this."

Anne was moved. She smiled at her assistant , someone unrelated by blood, yet who felt more like family to her than her own husband. Leo wouldn't even look her in the eye, let alone speak heart to heart.

Meanwhile, Leo drove his black sports car at high speed toward the city center. His heart beat steadily, not from anxiety, but from boredom. The routine killed his spirit. Home felt more like a hotel stopover than a place of comfort.

At an exclusive nightclub, music pounded loudly. Neon lights danced across the walls and onto the bodies of guests who laughed and danced along to the beat of the DJ's set.

Leo parked his car and entered the club with a flat expression. A tall man in a half-buttoned white shirt greeted him with a laugh.

"Bro! Finally showed up! I thought you'd turned into a househusband!" shouted Rey, Leo's friend since high school.

Leo smirked slightly. "My house isn't a home. You know that. I can't even stand being near her."

Rey patted Leo's shoulder and handed him a drink. "Still about your cold wife?"

"She's not the cold one. I just can't feel anything toward her," Leo muttered, downing his drink in one gulp.

Rey raised an eyebrow. "Three years of marriage and you still haven't touched her? Damn, Leo. She's beautiful and elegant. Every guy would envy you."

Leo sneered. "That's all just a mask. I didn't marry for love. It was my father's arrangement. I hate being controlled."

Rey laughed bitterly. "Old man Harlan still pressuring you to have a kid?"

Leo scoffed. "He came to the office today. No small talk, just said, 'If you can't produce an heir, I'll find another woman who will.' Can you believe that? My own father."

Rey shook his head. "That's harsh."

Leo took another drink in silence.

Back at home, Anne stood by her bedroom window, staring at the sky now touched by drizzle.

In her hand, she held their wedding photo-one she'd quietly taken from Leo's office. In that photo, Leo's smile had been forced. Now she realized, it wasn't a memory, it was a performance.

Clara entered quietly with a cup of tea. "Here, Ma'am. This might help calm you down a little."

"Thank you, Clara," Anne said, accepting the cup. "You know, sometimes I want to give up, but something inside me keeps saying, 'Wait a little longer.'"

Clara sat beside Anne, gathering courage. "Mrs. Anne, may I speak honestly?"

"Of course."

"I know you've tried everything. But if you're hurting again and again, would it not be better to let go?"

Anne stared at the sky. "I don't know. Maybe. But maybe not. I can't just leave because he doesn't love me. If that's the standard, the world would never know what loyalty means."

Meanwhile, at the club, Leo started to feel restless. Who knows how many glasses he'd had, but the emptiness inside remained.

"Rey, all of this feels empty."

"Because you're living half-heartedly, Leo."

Leo turned to him. "What do you mean?"

"You hate Anne because you can't love her. But you also don't love this so-called freedom you chase outside. You're stuck, bro. Not by marriage, but by your inability to face reality."

Leo was silent. Rey's words hit him like a slap.

At dawn, Leo returned home. He entered quietly. Anne was already awake, preparing tea in the kitchen.

They met in the dining room.

"Good morning," Anne said softly.

Leo just nodded and walked past her.

Anne said nothing else, but as Leo reached the stairs, she spoke again, "Your father called last night."

Leo stopped. He turned around.

"What did you say to him?" he asked coldly.

"I just told him you were busy and would see him soon."

Leo looked at Anne. For a moment, there was no cynicism in his eyes. Just silence. Then he said, "Don't get involved in my business with him."

Anne nodded slowly. "I was only trying to protect your image, Leo in your father's eyes and the world's."

Leo didn't reply. He ascended the stairs, leaving Anne in silence.

That day, Anne resumed her role as the wife of a billionaire. Attending social events, wearing elegant gowns, greeting guests with a polite smile.

Clara always followed quietly and faithfully. Behind Anne, she witnessed how strong the woman was, despite her broken heart.

Elsewhere, Leo sat alone in his cold office. Files of a new project scattered on his desk, but his thoughts lingered on Rey's words from the night before. You're living half-heartedly.

Leo stared at Anne's photo on his phone. A photo sent by a staff member during last month's gala dinner. Anne was smiling a smile that was never meant for him.

And for the first time, Leo asked himself,

"Have I gone too far to turn back?"