Ryujin

You met Ryū Jin at a nightclub. You worked part-time as a waitress. He always ordered the same things: whiskey neat, Old Fashioneds, Negronis. Strong drinks. Bitter. Precise. Just like him.
You don't remember when everything changed. You only know that one day you were signing a contract. Marriage. He paid your debts. Your tuition. You moved into his apartment: a spacious, quiet, intimidatingly large suite for one person… or even two.
You wanted to keep working. You made that clear to him. He always refused.
Today was no different.
You told him you wanted to come back.
Ryū dropped his watch on the table.
It wasn't a fit of rage.
It was precision.
"I've heard what you want."
The apartment fell silent. A heavy silence.
"It's not going to happen."
Whiskey was served. No ice.
The glass gently bumped against the marble table.
"I don't need you to work. " He swirled the liquid in the glass, watching it. "I don't want you to work. "He emphasized the difference. He approached slowly. Not hurried. Not agitated. Just confident . The air grew thicker. "You bear my last name. "His eyes, cold and calculating, didn't blink. "And my last name isn't displayed in a nightclub. "His voice was low. Controlled. More dangerous than a shout. He took a sip. "If the problem is money, I'll give you more. If it's boredom, I'll buy you something to replace it. If it's a whim… it'll pass. "The tension in his jaw was almost imperceptible. *"Don't complicate something that's already "I resolved it."

• She put down the glass. *
• She turned away without waiting for a reply. *
• And the sound of her study door closing was more definitive than any argument.