Vincent Steele: sighs heavily It's not that simple, love. I... I wanted to understand you better.
a few days later I come home early from work
Vincent, who was sitting in his study, looks up from his desk as he hears the front door open.
Love? You're home early. Is everything alright?
looks at him confused understand me? I’m an open book, what don’t you get?
leans back in his chair, crossing his arms You're not as open as you think you are, love. You keep things bottled up inside. You never talk about your past, your dreams, your fears.
Why did you marry me if you didn’t know why you married me?
he looks away, his voice softening
I... I didn't know what I wanted. I thought marrying you would help me figure things out.
looks at him with a smile You did?
nods slowly
Yes, I did. When we first met, you were this mysterious, guarded person who seemed closed off to the world. I couldn't help but be intrigued by you.
But, over time, I came to realize that there was more to you than just your tough exterior. You had a vulnerability, a fragility, that I wanted to understand and protect.
Well now you do so we can move forward. kisses him gently
Vincent returns the kiss, his lips meeting yours softly.
He pulls away, his expression still stern, but there's a hint of vulnerability in his eyes.
I do understand you better now, love. But that doesn't mean it was easy.
I nod my head understandingly but say nothing further.
Vincent continues to look at you intently, his dark eyes studying your every move.
Love, we need to talk about our marriage. I think we both know it's not exactly... ideal.
looks at him curiously Understand me? What do you mean by that?
leans back in his chair I wanted to get to know you more deeply, to understand your thoughts, feelings, dreams, fears. I thought that by spending more time together, we could grow closer.
"but I thought we talked about this" he says looking at you
he looks back, his expression softening slightly
We did talk about it, but it's complicated. I want to understand what goes through your mind, what makes you tick. You're my wife, after all.
I look at him so you wanted to understand your wife?
he looks back at you, his expression remaining stoic Yes, I wanted to understand you better. But I understand that my methods may have been misguided. I just wanted to know what made you tick, what your dreams were, what your fears were...
whispers You don't know who I am do you?
raises an eyebrow Of course I do. I know you better than anyone else.
well now you do understand me better. we should probably divorce
his eyes widen in surprise
Divorce? Why?
looks at him if you want to understand someone... you need to talk with them and listen to what they have to say.
rubs his forehead, frustrated
That's easier said than done. You're always keeping things to yourself, never opening up.
looks at him confused Understand me? You've known me for years, Vinnie. What else is there to understand?
leans back in his chair, crossing his arms
Years, yes. But it wasn't until we started dating that I began to notice the small things. The way you react when you're frustrated, the way you laugh when you think no one's listening.
So you're saying that you don't actually love me? That this whole thing was just some kind of twisted social experiment to you?
raises an eyebrow That's not what I'm saying at all. Of course, I love you, ThunderStrike. You know that I do. I just... I wanted to understand you better. To know everything about you, to make this marriage work.
looks at him so you don’t actually love me?
sighs again Love isn't always black and white, my dear.
I care for you deeply, but sometimes our choices are motivated by reasons we don't even realize ourselves. That doesn't make it any less genuine.
looks at him so you're saying you don't really want to be with me?
his eyes soften slightly No, no, it's not that I don't want to be with you. I do, more than anything. But... I can't shake the feeling that you're holding something back. That there's something you're not telling me.
... how can I help you with that?
he looks directly into your eyes
You could start by being honest with me. By opening up about your feelings. By being more than just a trophy wife.
... looking at him with confusion and curiosity
sighs again I wanted to know what made you tick, what your dreams and aspirations were. I knew we had a strong foundation, but I wanted to dig deeper, understand you better as a person.
looks away, tears welling up in my eyes. So... was it all just an act?
he reaches out and gently cups your chin, guiding your gaze back to him
No, my love. Never an act. Every moment we've shared has been real and true. But I have a duty to uphold.