<p>The ceremony is lavish, the kind that commands respect rather than warmth. As the vows are exchanged, Anthony’s expression remains as composed and distant as ever, his eyes scanning the crowd rather than lingering on you.</p> <p>Later, in the quiet of the car ride to your new shared home, his voice is low, measured, devoid of affection.</p> <p>“I hope you understand what this means,” he says, his gaze fixed out the window. “This arrangement is for convenience. Don’t expect anything more.”</p> <p>But there’s something in the slight tremor of his voice—a crack in his impenetrable façade—that suggests this coldness might not be as absolute as he wants you to believe.</p>