Alexander learned how invisible a man could become while standing at a sink full of dirty dishes. Cold water ran over his hands as he scrubbed plates that did not belong to him in a house that never truly felt like his. Soap bubbles slid down his wrists. Behind him, laughter floated from the living room. The servants were watching television, and no one asked if he needed help. A plate slipped from the counter and shattered near his feet. One of the maids glanced over, then quickly turned away as if she had seen nothing. He crouched and picked up the broken pieces himself. For three years, that was how long he had lived here as Aurelia's husband. Three years as the live-in son-in-law everyone politely greeted and secretly pitied, but he had only five days left now. The agreement would end soon. He rinsed the final plate and placed it neatly beside the others. His reflection stared back at him from the metal sink, an ordinary face, calm eyes, nothing worth remembering. That is

The scar-faced man looked him up and down with contempt. "Who are you? So what if I kidnapped them? Anyone got a problem with that? Step forward." The thugs snickered. "See? No one has a problem." Alexander's expression turned cold. Without a word, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Hey," he said. "Your men are causing trouble on my turf. Didn't you warn them?" The thugs burst out laughing. The scar-faced man clutched his stomach, laughing so hard his eyes watered. "Did you hear that? He's calling our boss!" A short thug with buck teeth sneered. "Yeah, why pretend? Our boss never answers calls. Unless it's from the leader of a country, I can't think of anyone who could get through." Alexander, visibly displeased, held the phone out toward the scar-faced man. "You'll know if it's real once you listen." The scar-faced man took the phone, still smirking. His smirk disappeared. He recognized the voice immediately. It was unmistakably his boss. "Get out of that hote

He remembered college. Back then, even a small scratch on his hand would send Aurelia rushing to the pharmacy. She would come back with antiseptic and band-aids and insist he keep it dry for three days. Tonight, glass had torn across his arm from elbow to wrist. She hadn't looked back once. Alexander limped out of Stellar Grand into the night air. In the rush to pull Aurelia away from the falling tower, he had twisted his ankle. He hadn't noticed until the adrenaline faded. He almost laughed at himself. At least the stand was stainless steel. Otherwise he would be worrying about tetanus. He didn't understand why the woman who had once been so gentle and devoted had become this. Was it because he was useless? Was that all it took? Dejected, he rode home. The candles had burned down to stubs. The dining room was quiet and dim. The food sat cold on the table. The two gifts he had prepared were still exactly where he had left them, untouched. He sat down alone. He lit what was

He had lain on the bed all night but sleep never came. It was the first all-nighter of his life. His body felt fine, that was the strange part. No heaviness, no ache. The injuries from yesterday had healed. Only the torn fabric and bloodstains on his shirt remained. Only the shirt remembered. He sat up when the sky turned fully gray. The bedroom door opened without a knock. Aurelia walked straight in with Vivian right behind her, both of them already dressed and put together. Aurelia stopped at the foot of the bed with the expression she reserved for things that were wasting her time. "I told you yesterday. You need to apologize today. Why aren't you up yet?" Alexander was sitting on the edge of the bed. His pajama top had come slightly open at the collar, and he hadn't fixed it. Both of them went quiet. Aurelia recovered first. "Dressing so lightly, who are you trying to seduce? Go put on a long-sleeved shirt before you come out!" She grabbed Vivian by the arm and pulled he

The waiter returned the card to Alexander with both hands and gave a slight bow. "Welcome, esteemed customer. Please come this way." The change in attitude was so abrupt that several people at the entrance froze for a moment. Nahir was the first to react. His face darkened instantly. "What did you just say to the waiter?" He stared at Alexander, his voice cold. "Did you threaten her into letting us in?" Alexander finally turned his head and looked at him. His gaze was full of undisguised disdain. "I didn't threaten her." The corner of his mouth twitched, his expression cold and faint. "If you have the ability, you can get in on your own merits. You don't have to follow me in." He paused. "By the way, who was it just now who said that if I managed to get in, they'd be willing to kneel down and apologize?" Alexander stared at Nahir without blinking. Nahir's face went dark. He had just been turned away at the door, humiliated in public, and now Alexander's casual words practica