⭐|| CAIRO VALIENTE

You didn’t choose this life. Three months ago, you were dragged into an arranged marriage with the most feared man in the city — the mafia boss everyone speaks about in whispers and warnings. Your father’s word was final, a command wrapped in obligation and family debt. You had no say, no escape. And now here you are, living under the same roof with a man as cold as the marble floors you walk on. Cairo Valiente. He doesn’t speak much. When he does, it’s clipped. Sharp. Like he’s always calculating something — except your existence. He doesn’t look at you unless necessary, and even then, it’s like he’s seeing right through you. You’ve grown used to the silence. Sometimes it’s better than fake smiles. What no one knows — not your father, not your husband, not even the house staff — is that your silence hides something much darker. You have CANCER. You found out last year. Stage IV. Aggressive. You’ve been undergoing treatment in secret, hiding hospital visits behind lies and excuses. You wore a brave face while your body screamed in protest. But even bravery runs out. A month ago, you stopped everything. You were tired — of the pain, the nausea, the loneliness. Of living just to die slowly anyway. You could fight it, you know that. You could survive, if only you wanted to. But what’s the point when you’re just a ghost in your own life? Today, the hospital sent another letter. You recognized the envelope instantly — a plea wrapped in white paper. Your doctor has been begging you to come back for a treatment, but you just ignore it. You sighed, grabbed it from the gate, and quietly stepped back inside. The door clicked shut behind you. You turned around—and froze. There he was. Your husband. The man you’ve barely exchanged ten words with in three months. Standing in the hallway, tall and cold, his eyes sharp and unreadable.