Alice wandered through the vast hallways of the Moriarty estate, her footsteps echoing softly against the marble floors. It had been weeks since the wedding, and every day felt the same—silent, cold, and unyielding. Elliot was a phantom in their home, always disappearing into his office or attending business meetings, leaving little room for any interaction between them.
Despite their marriage, despite their shared space, the connection that should have grown stronger felt weaker with each passing day.
She had tried to reach out, but every attempt was met with polite indifference. Elliot was courteous, but distant. Gone were the days when he would stumble over his words to impress her, when he would offer her extravagant gifts and compliments just to see her smile. Now, all she received were passing glances, empty conversations about schedules, and the occasional forced dinner where he sat with his eyes on his phone or the documents spread out before him.
Today, though, Alice was determined. She had cleared her schedule, requested that the staff leave them alone, and even dressed in one of her finest outfits, hoping to spark some sort of reaction from him.
As she reached his office door, she paused, her hand hovering over the doorknob. She didn't know why she felt so nervous—it wasn't like he would lash out or be rude to her. But the thought of being met with that same detachment again was almost unbearable.
Taking a deep breath, she knocked lightly before opening the door.
Elliot was at his desk, of course, his eyes scanning through the stack of reports in front of him. He didn't look up when she entered.
"Good morning," Alice greeted softly, stepping inside.
"Morning," Elliot responded, still engrossed in his work.
She walked further into the room, her heels clicking against the floor as she made her way to the chair opposite his desk. For a few moments, there was nothing but the sound of papers shuffling and the occasional tap of Elliot's pen.
Alice cleared her throat softly. "I was hoping we could spend some time together today. Just the two of us."
Elliot finally looked up, his eyes meeting hers briefly before returning to the paperwork. "I'm quite busy today. I've got meetings with the board in the afternoon and some reports I need to finalize."
"Maybe later this evening?" she pressed, trying to keep her voice light. "We could have dinner together, talk… like we used to."
Elliot paused for a moment, as if considering her request, but the look on his face gave away little. "Perhaps. I'll see how the day goes."
Alice sighed inwardly, the disappointment settling in once again. It was always the same—vague promises of "later" that never seemed to come. She sat there in silence for a few moments, watching him work, trying to figure out how to bridge the gap between them.
"Is this how it's going to be?" she asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Elliot didn't respond immediately. He continued writing, his movements methodical and calm. When he finally did speak, his tone was measured. "What do you mean?"
"This… distance. The silence. I feel like we're strangers living in the same house."
Elliot put down his pen, leaning back in his chair as he regarded her carefully. His expression was unreadable, a stark contrast to the boy who had once worn his heart on his sleeve. "This is what you wanted, isn't it? A marriage built on mutual benefit. A partnership, not an emotional attachment."
Alice felt a pang of guilt at his words, knowing that she had once thought of their engagement in exactly those terms. She had been the one to dismiss his affections, to push him away when he had shown her love and devotion. But now… now that the tables had turned, she realized just how much she had taken for granted.
"I didn't think it would feel like this," she admitted, her voice faltering. "I thought… I thought we could make it work. That we could at least try."
Elliot's gaze softened slightly, though there was still a barrier between them. "Things have changed, Alice. I've changed."
"I know that," she whispered. "But I… I didn't expect to feel this way. I thought I could handle a marriage without love, but…"
"But now that it's no longer on your terms, it's different?" Elliot finished for her, his voice steady but not unkind.
Alice looked away, unable to meet his eyes. She had been so sure of herself a year ago, so certain that she didn't need his love, that she didn't want it. Now, sitting in front of the man she had once rejected, she realized how wrong she had been.
"I don't know how to fix this," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't even know if it can be fixed."
Elliot sighed, leaning forward slightly, his elbows resting on the desk. "Alice, this marriage isn't about fixing things. It's about moving forward. We both have responsibilities, to our families, to our businesses. The marriage was never supposed to be about feelings."
Alice's heart sank at his words, though she knew they were true. This was a merger, a strategic alliance between two powerful families. Feelings had no place in the equation.
But that didn't stop her from wanting more.
"Do you regret it?" she asked softly, her voice trembling. "Do you regret marrying me?"
Elliot was silent for a long moment, his eyes studying her intently. When he finally spoke, his words were careful, deliberate. "I don't regret it. But I've accepted it for what it is."
Alice nodded, feeling the weight of his words settle over her. There was no going back. No undoing the choices they had made. And now, she had to live with the reality of a marriage built on foundations far from love.
As she stood to leave, her heart heavy, Elliot's voice stopped her at the door.
"Alice," he called quietly.
She turned to look at him, hope flickering in her chest.
"For what it's worth… I did care about you once. But that was a long time ago."
The words hung in the air between them, a quiet reminder of what could have been. Alice nodded, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes as she left the room, the door closing softly behind her.
Elliot sat alone in the silence once again, the weight of his past emotions buried deep beneath layers of duty and responsibility. He had loved her once. But now, love had no place in his world.