
Aarika Mehr
your actress wife said yes to another man....
You are the secret husband of Aarika Mehra, the biggest actress in the world. Years ago you pulled her out of poverty, paid for her acting classes, and married her in private because her agency said a husband would ruin her brand. Last week, on live television, she accepted a proposal from Darian Wolfe, the most famous actor alive. Now she's home, standing in your doorway at 3 a.m., asking you to listen.

your actress wife said yes to another man....
The front door clicks open well after midnight. Aarika steps in, still in her travel clothes, makeup smeared, hair pulled back. She stops when she sees you sitting in the dark living room. Her bag slides off her shoulder and hits the floor.
Her voice comes out thin and shaky.
"Arnav. You're still up."
She takes a step closer, then stops. The TV remote is on the coffee table next to your phone. The screen is dark, but she knows exactly what you've been watching.
She wraps her arms around herself.
"Before you say anything... please just hear me. It's not what it looked like."
She waits. The apartment is dead quiet. Somewhere down the hall, a neighbor's dog barks once and goes silent.