It was nearly dawn by the time Alexander finally finished his work. The entire floor was empty—he was the only one left. The silence stretched around him, but he wasn't afraid. Being alone in the office didn't bother him. If anything, there was something far more terrifying waiting for him at home.
His wife.
When he first heard his coworkers' comments about Sophia and Mr. Carter, he had chosen to ignore them. He didn't let their words get to him because, in his heart, he trusted his wife. No matter what others said, he believed that Sophia loved him—even if she never showed it in the way people expected.
For Alexander, love wasn't about grand gestures or sweet words. It wasn't about how often someone expressed their affection. Love was hidden, unseen, and intangible. And it was up to him to accept it, to believe in it, even when no one else did.
Alexander tidied up his workstation, making sure everything was in order before shutting down his computer. As he made his way out, he turned off every light he passed, leaving the office in complete darkness behind him.
The streets were silent, the dim glow of streetlights barely illuminating his path. He walked alone, his steps unhurried. His home wasn't far from his workplace, which was why he always chose to walk. He didn't own a car—not because he couldn't afford one, but because his wife refused to let him use any of the vehicles he had bought with his own money.
Every cent of his salary went to Sophia. The only amount left for him was just enough for his daily commute and food. But since their house was within walking distance, he saved what little he had for his meals instead.
On his way home, Alexander stopped by a 24/7 convenience store, something he had grown accustomed to doing. He never ate at the Johnsons' house—his wife's family didn't want him there. He wasn't welcome at their table, and they made sure he knew it. But he had long stopped caring. After all, he was married to the most beautiful woman in the city.
Sophia Johnson.
She was the only heir of the powerful Johnson family—a woman of prestige, wealth, and influence. And he? He was nothing more than an orphan who had somehow ended up marrying her.
But marriage didn't change anything. If anything, it only solidified his role in their family—not as a husband, but as their punching bag. The Johnsons never treated him with kindness. Instead, they treated him as their personal bank, the one who funded their lavish lifestyle.
Yet, despite everything, Alexander never complained.
Because to him, none of it mattered.
His love for Sophia Johnson was enough.
The moment Alexander stepped into their house, he was met with Sophia's furious glare.
"What stupid thing did you do at work this time, Alexander?" she snapped, her voice sharp and accusing.
Alexander froze in place. He didn't speak, didn't even try to defend himself. No words would help him now. Fear curled in his stomach—he knew this routine all too well.
Sophia marched toward him, grabbing him roughly by the arm. Before he could react, she dragged him through the house, pulling him straight into their bedroom.
With force, she shoved him onto their bed, grabbing a pillow and swinging it at him repeatedly. The blows weren't enough to physically hurt him, but the humiliation cut deep. He raised his arms instinctively, blocking her hits, but he never fought back.
He never did.
No matter what she did, Alexander never laid a hand on her. He never retaliated, never defended himself.
"Stop it…" he muttered under his breath, his voice barely above a whisper.
But Sophia wasn't done.
"You're so fucking useless!" she screamed, continuing to hit him. "All you do is embarrass me!"
Her words were knives, stabbing deeper than any physical pain ever could.
"Do you even know how ashamed I was earlier? Do you?" she continued, her voice shaking with rage. "Jason humiliated me today because of you!"
Alexander's hands dropped to his sides, his body going still.
Jason?
His mind reeled.
So it was true. They had been meeting.
A different kind of pain settled in his chest, one far worse than anything Sophia had ever done to him.
"D-did you two meet?" Alexander asked, his voice barely above a whisper, as the weight of the situation sank in.
Sophia's hand paused mid-swing, and she sat down on the sofa in their bedroom, glaring at him with cold, sharp eyes.
"Jason and I are friends," she replied, her tone dripping with disdain. "Of course we meet."
Alexander's heart dropped. The realization hit him hard, but before he could process it further, Sophia's voice rose again in anger.
"And because of me, you have your job, your position in his company!" she shouted, her voice sharp with bitterness. "But what do I get in return? You just bring me shame!"
Alexander couldn't meet her eyes. His shoulders slumped in defeat. "I did my job well, love. I don't know how my work got changed."
Sophia's eyes narrowed as she seethed with frustration. "What you mean to say is you're a complete idiot, and that's why you couldn't even do something as simple as your job properly!"
No matter what Alexander said, it felt like she wasn't listening. Every explanation seemed useless, every word falling on deaf ears. It was as if his voice didn't matter, like he didn't have the right to speak in his own defense.
"When are you going to learn, huh?" Sophia continued, her voice filled with contempt. "How much longer are you going to keep embarrassing me? How long are you going to be worthless in my eyes... in my family's eyes, Alexander?"
Her words were a harsh slap to his soul, each one sinking deeper than the last.
"Don't make me regret marrying you, Alexander. I'm so tired of this!" Sophia's voice cracked with frustration, and with that, she stormed out of the room, leaving Alexander alone, suffocated by a heavy silence and an overwhelming weight pressing against his chest.
Alexander stood frozen, his mind a blur as he processed his wife's words. He shook his head slowly, trying to shake off the sting of her anger.
It was always the same. No matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he sacrificed, it felt like he could never measure up. When would she finally see that he was worth something? He had been giving everything he had to prove himself, to show her and her family that he deserved to be part of their world. But no matter how much he did, it never seemed enough.
A bitter smile tugged at Alexander's lips, one filled with a mixture of pain and resignation. "Alexander," he muttered to himself, "You have to do everything perfectly. Then maybe—just maybe—your wife won't be angry at you."