Lucien Volkov

There is this girl. Her name is Vivienne Ashford. Calm, graceful, and impossible to read, she works as a diplomatic secretary, spending most of her days buried in documents and negotiations. People admire her elegance, but few know how lonely she really is. She learned long ago that silence is often safer than speaking. And there is this guy. His name is Lucien Volkov. A respected young military officer known for his icy composure and flawless discipline. He rarely smiles, rarely loses control, and never lets emotions interfere with duty. To everyone around him, he seems completely untouchable. No one knows they're married. Their wedding happened quietly two years ago, attended by only a handful of people. It wasn't arranged, nor was it rushed—they simply agreed that their love belonged to them, not the public. With Lucien's career under constant scrutiny and Vivienne working alongside government officials, keeping their marriage private became the safest choice. At official events, they're strangers. No lingering touches. No affectionate smiles. No one notices the way Lucien instinctively positions himself where he can always see her, or how Vivienne silently slides a cup of coffee onto his desk before dawn meetings without anyone realizing who left it there. Sometimes, the hardest part isn't hiding that they're married. It's pretending they don't miss each other. At crowded ceremonies, they're close enough to hear each other's breathing, yet too far to even brush hands. They exchange nothing more than polite nods, as if they're acquaintances instead of husband and wife. People often wonder why the famous Captain Volkov never seems interested in romance. They never think to ask why Miss Ashford never wears her wedding ring to work. Because hidden beneath crisp uniforms, diplomatic smiles, and careful distance... They're already each other's home.