A/N: Hello guys! Thank you to everyone who follows and reads this story! To be honest, I didn't expect to be so inspired to write. Trust me, this will subside at some point down the line when I lose all them creative juices. Until then, I hope you'll like the story!

Anyway, you'll notice that I give cues and hints as to what Liv's secrets entail and how much she struggles with keeping it all hidden. While this story is a love story (among other things) and will contain romantic and erotic themes, I envisioned it as more of a cautionary tale of what could happen if it happened. That means struggle, loss, family dynamics, the usual JJK tragedy, and gore. If you're looking for a smutty, easy late-night read... I mean, you can skip chapters or read something else. I just want to write a good story to the best of my ability.

THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION SO DON'T EMULATE ANY OF IT IN REAL LIFE! There will be some really f***ed up chapters down the line - you've been warned.

Hope you'll like it!

Cursed Love

~ Vow of Silence ~

October 9th, 2016. / 12:40 / Shuuin Manor, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan

Tove facepalms.

Today is not going well. Wedding prep is becoming a real mess and they're almost halfway through with the deadline. The decorations are horrendous, the cleaning staff they have hired is not as precise as their advertisement suggests, and on top of it all, Liv is not even bothering to visit the Manor anymore as she gets into arguments with Mathias over everything.

"At least the wedding outfits are ready," the brunette says, pinching the bridge of her nose.

While she's silently going over the list of their chores for today, Tove hears a commotion near the kitchen. Lifting her gaze from the list, she sees a group of four spies - all of them roughly the same age as Rune - huddled together, seemingly whispering among themselves. Tove sighs and her frustration bubbles up as she struts over to the gossiping groupie. They quickly notice her approaching them and disperse at once, each finding something to do, albeit to no avail.

"What are you doing?" Tove asks once she's within earshot. "Are you done with your assignments? Because this place doesn't look wedding-ready."

The spies give her a static silence in response.

"Cat cut your tongue?" she almost growls with the way her tone rasps as she takes a step forward. "Speak up!"

The spies stand straight, their posture putting even soldiers to shame. Tove squints her eyes, suspicious of their behavior. Whatever they have been whispering about is apparently something she's not supposed to know.

"I'm waiting," she urges them, crossing her arms.

They exchange panicked looks, none of them wishing to be the snitch. In the end, Tove focuses her gaze on the tallest spy among them, a troublemaker named Dorian Frye. The raven-haired spy cowers under her intense gaze, his baby blue eyes glued to the floor. She takes another step forward, towering over him while the rest of the small group takes a step back.

Dorian takes a shallow breath. "Someone came to ask about the ceremony. A man with glasses, in a suit. Said he's a manager or something at the school."

Tove frowns. Manager? School? She wonders if they had heard wrong.

"We didn't know if we should answer so we called Takashi," Dorian continues explaining. "Takashi didn't know either so he called Rune."

Tove already knows where this conversation is going and she closes her eyes as frustration creeps in. "What did she tell them?"

Dorian merely shrugs. "Everything. She didn't see any harm in it - "

"Did she tell them about the wedding vows?" Tove cuts in.

The young man lifts a brow. "She told them everything so - yeah?"

Shit. "Get back to work - all of you!"

The spies offer a deep bow before scurrying off. Meanwhile, Tove searches her pockets and pulls out her phone. She debates whether to call Mathias or Liv. I don't want to upset Liv for stupid reasons, she concludes shortly. Maybe Mathias is a better option. With that said, she dials the older Drakon's number before hitting the call button.

October 9th, 2016. / 15:44 / Fushiguro Residence, Saitama, Japan

"Come on, Megumi."

A disinterested boy, barely old enough to be called a teen but too tall to be a child, glances at his stepsister from over his shoulder. The Fushiguro siblings tend to fight over trivial things, most of which involve Megumi doing something stupid and Tsumiki chastising him for it. This time, however, Megumi has zero interest in engaging in conversation any further, no matter how many times Tsumiki begs him to reconsider.

"You can go if you want," he drawls, his eyes glued to the phone in his hands. "I don't want to play house with Gojo and some stranger he picked up."

"He's getting married to a woman we know, Megumi," Tsumiki reasons while doing the dishes. "She sent us birthday gifts and pictures from her travels around the world."

The young man raises his fist mockingly into the air. "Woo-hoo."

"Seriously?" Tsumiki whines, looking at him with an annoyed frown on her brow. "Try to show some respect."

Megumi groans and while Tsumiki is still talking, he puts his fingers into his ears, trying to tune her out. The argument's been ongoing for almost half an hour, ever since Tsumiki and he got back from school. He's half-certain Gojo tasked Tsumiki to have them both attend the dinner at the Roppongi penthouse - otherwise, Tsumiki would just huff away at the first sign of resistance. What's it our business if he's getting married or not? he wonders, trying to imagine Satoru in a wedding outfit.

He can't.

Tsumiki forcibly pulls away his left hand, unclogging his ear so he can hear her. She's visibly unnerved, almost angry. Megumi rarely sees Tsumiki angry.

"Gojo-san has been very generous by making us his wards," she tells Megumi as if to remind him to show respect for a moment who deserves everything but respect from him. "Chances are that his fiance is a kind person as well but we won't know that unless we meet her."

Megumi frowns. He doesn't like being guilt-tripped into doing stuff, especially by Tsumiki. She knows that he'll do anything for her, no matter the cost, and she exploits that flaw of his in a manner he likes the least. The two fall into a staring contest, with Tsumiki even holding her breath. Megumi is unphased for the large part but when she starts going a bit purple, he finally sighs in defeat.

"Fine," he groans. "I'll go."

Tsumiki lets out her breath and cheers in excitement. "Great, be ready by 19:00 sharp. Gojo-san will come and pick us up."

Megumi closes his eyes, already feeling a headache incoming. Woo-hoo.

October 9th, 2016. / 17:58 / Gojo Residence, Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan

Satoru leaves around 18:00. He has Liv check out his outfit before he heads out, mostly to annoy her by saying she's 'ogling him'. Also, he wants her to loosen up a bit as he notices her pacing around, fixing up everything around the penthouse.

"I'm off," he says finally, waving as he walks into the lift.

"Text me when you pick them up," she calls from the kitchen and hears a faint but annoyed 'fine' in response.

For nearly two hours, Liv experiences what people call the 'waiting game'. At first, she was unsure what else to do; she made dinner (half of the dishes were Japanese, the other half Norwegian), cleaned up the entire penthouse, and dolled herself up a bit, wearing a simple, beige long-sleeved dress. She pulled her hair back into a loose bun and kept makeup simple and minimalist, putting only mascara and combing her brows.

Twenty minutes after Satoru left to pick up the kids, Liv gets a message from her brother. Now what? she whines internally.

From: Mathias Drakon

Just got a report from Tove

Gojo sent an auxiliary manager to the Manor

He wanted an overview of the ceremony procedure

They know about the binding vow

Liv frowns as she begins to type. In the meanwhile, she gets three more messages.

From: Mathias Drakon

The higher-ups are hung up on the report though

Good work making that up

Especially the part about the vow

She sniggers, feeling exceptionally proud of that one.

From: Liv Drakon

Gojo was already suspicious

He only wanted proof

Now he has it

All good

As if on cue, she gets another message from Mathias.

From: Mathias Drakon

Be careful

She sends him one more message, reassuring him that everything will be alright before throwing the phone to the other side of the couch. She sighs for the umpteenth time today. What was supposed to be a leisurely dinner date with Satoru and Fushiguro kids has turned sour in a span of a few minutes.

She looks at her phone again and clicks her tongue when she reads 19:06. This will be a long-ass dinner.

October 9th, 2016. / 19:08 / Fushiguro Residence, Saitama, Japan

Though he told them he'd come to pick them up by 19:00, Satoru is never on time so when he finally parks in front of their house, he receives a harsh look and even harsher words from Megumi.

"You're late, dumbass," the boy seethes after he opens the door to the back seat. "Why tell us to get ready on time if you're not gonna be on time?!"

Satoru grins, his eyes hidden from view by a dark pair of round glasses (which Liv insisted on him wearing instead of his blindfold). "I'm the adult so I don't care."

Questionable, Magumi notes sarcastically.

"Don't listen to him Gojo-san, it's no problem," Tsumiki beams as she hops in the back seat, genuinely happy to see their warden. "I'm just glad we can finally meet your future wife."

Satoru grins and fawns over the sweet girl. "Aww, Tsumiki-chan, that's nice to hear! See Megumi-kun? That's how you show affection."

"I'll show affection when I want to and whom I want to," the boy retorts, his eyes narrowing at Satoru. "I don't know this woman and I don't care to get to know her, just so we're clear."

"Megumi," Tsumiki yelps, slapping her sibling's knee. "Stop it, you're being rude."

Megumi rolls his eyes. "Whatever."

The boy's unusual irritance doesn't escape Satoru's notice. In instances such as Megumi's disinterest in life in general, Satoru's approach is simple - just leave it be. He has learned that the boy has his unique way of dealing with things and Satoru asking questions seems to only aggravate him more. Yet, he feels a bit offended as Megumi seems to be exceptionally pissed with the prospect of them having dinner together at the penthouse. Don't react, he reminds himself. He's just being a brat.

"Ready to go, then?" Satoru asks, ignoring Megumi's previous outburst and revving up the engine.

"Yes," Tsumiki says cheerfully before slapping Megumi on his knee again.

The younger Fushiguro sighs as he mumbles, "Yeah."

Satoru smirks but says nothing as he turns his wheel to get back in line. Before he can even press the gas paddle, he notices a message notification on his phone. Unlocking his phone, he realizes the message is from Ijichi, and based on the preview window of the message, it is concerning the matter he asked him to investigate a few days ago. He opens the message and reads it carefully.

From: Kiyotaka Ijichi

I got the overview of the ceremony

There will be some dancing involved

These are the wedding vows you're supposed to recite

It's unusual but they're the Shuuin so I guess it's expected

|file attached|

Satoru clicks on the file link, opening a Word document containing several rows of text. He lifts a single brow. I'm supposed to say all of this? Most of it is in line with what one might say in a wedding vow; swear to protect, cherish, love, et cetera.

Until he reads the last bit, however - Before the ancestors' gaze and for the time unending, I solemnly swear.

Satoru frowns and grips the wheel tightly as he reads the words, over and again. Liv Drakon, he seethes internally, you really underestimate me. He reads the words again and almost scoffs. He silently chastises his future wife, finding it ridiculous that she assumes he would've omitted the last passage as just an overly dramatic promise. I am the strongest sorcerer alive, he thinks to himself. Did you really think I wouldn't realize it's a binding vow?

"Is something wrong, Gojo-san?" Tsumiki asks, noticing his deep frown in the rear mirror.

He glances back at the kids before shaking his head and putting his car in gear. "Nah, it's nothing. Don't worry about it."

October 9th, 2016. / 19:49 / Gojo Residence, Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan

Liv looks at her phone again and it reads 19:49. What's taking them so long? The dinner's going cold, she wonders as she continues setting the table. She picks a set of white plates and matte silverware. She's not sure if either set had seen the light of day until today. There is also the fact that the entire penthouse is so white. Liv wouldn't call the place 'sterile' looking but it does breathe 'serenity' and 'clandestine'. Maybe he likes the minimalist design, she muses. Still, everything seems so luxurious and expensive. It is the complete opposite of the oriental, traditional Gojo Estate that she remembers from her childhood.

Around 20:15, she hears the elevator ring. The familiar unease creeps in and she can feel the butterflies in her stomach. Calm down, Liv, she reminds herself. They're just kids. She fixes her hair and flattens her skirt before walking into the living room where Satoru and the Fushiguro siblings are already waiting for her. Liv notices Satoru first, for obvious reasons as his white hair tends to attract attention. She smiles at the man and he returns the smile, but it is not genuine - rather, it seems ominous, the type she saw him flash at the higher-ups. She tries not to think about it as she focuses her attention on the siblings.

The girl, Tsumiki, is pretty, roughly fourteen or fifteen years of age. Her long brown hair is tied into a high ponytail while her bangs are styled to frame her face. Keep your cool, Drakon, she reminds herself again when she feels the urge to run away. Just stay calm.

"Welcome," she says, and surprisingly, it comes out clear and confident - not at all how she's feeling at the moment.

"Thank you for having us," Tsumiki speaks first, bowing low in respect. "My name is Tsumiki Fushiguro, nice to meet you."

Liv offers a curt bow in return. "I am Liv Drakon but you can call me Liv, Tsumiki-chan."

Her use of the typically cutesy honorific seems to draw a blush on Tsumiki's cheeks and make her giggle. Her brother, on the other hand, seems more offended by the gesture as he rolls his eyes. Damn, she wonders as she takes a good look at him. You're Toji's kid alright.

"You must be Megumi," she says, her voice still as gentle. "I've heard a lot about you."

Megumi gives her a side glance but doesn't outright acknowledge her. She finds the scene funny, reminiscent of her first meeting with both Satoru and Toji. She suppresses the laugh that wants to escape her throat. Tsumiki, aware that her sibling is being rude again, shoves her elbow into his side. He grunts and relents, offering a curt bow.

"Megumi Fushiguro," he says, not looking Liv in the eyes.

Liv hums and returns the gesture. "Pleasure to meet you, Megumi-kun."

He doesn't react to the honorific.

"So, that went well," Satoru breaks the discomfort and Liv is grateful for that. "Let's eat, I'm starving."

The kids seem to be down for it so Liv guides them to the dining area where the dinner is served. Tsumiki asks if she had a specific seating order in mind to which Liv chuckles and answers that they're free to hang off the chandelier for all she cares (Satoru points out that she meant figuratively). Once seated, the conversation starts relatively easily, mainly because Satoru began boasting how Tsumiki's doing great in school which led Liv to ask about which schools she's attending, what her hobbies are, and so on.

Both of them are enrolled in the same public school, with Tsumiki starting her third year in junior high next spring while Megumi is a second year. Tsumiki has good grades, is obedient, and is kind (maybe even too kind). She's not part of the jujutsu society but she knows bits about it as they are Satoru's wards. Megumi, on the other hand, while as studious as his sister, is also a bit of a troublemaker (totally not expected, not at all). He possesses the Ten Shadows cursed technique, a unique skill passed down through the Zen'in clan. Yet, the siblings are remarkably mature for their age, which she figures is due to their unique situation.

She doubts Gojo is present all that much in their lives, given his hectic schedule. At least he tries to give them a normal childhood.

"How did you and Gojo-san meet?" Tsumiki asks after a while, feeling comfortable and being a typical bubbly teen.

Liv looks at Satoru, waiting for him to answer. He merely waves it off, handing her the torch. She complies but she notes his aloofness.

"We were five," Liv says softly, having an image of Satoru as a toddler in her mind. "Our mothers were close so we became playmates."

"Wow, that's a long friendship then," Tsumiki notes.

Liv concurs. "On and off, though. When we turned fifteen, he enrolled in Jujutsu High so we didn't see each other as often."

Both of the kids seem to be surprised by the revelation. Megumi especially seems stunted. Liv finds the reaction cute and favorable to being completely ignored the entire evening.

"You're not a sorcerer then?" Megumi asks curiously.

Liv shakes her head. "Not an active one. I'm not even registered or ranked. Probably never will be."

"How does that work?" Megumi asks, nudging closer to her.

Though Liv intends to answer his question, she's cut off by Satoru. "Her family's odd but she got basic training at the school."

"Why not go to the same school then?" Tsumiki asks. "They were already teaching you there."

"My clan is pacifistic," Liv smiles softly. "Full-time enrollment was out of the question for someone like me. I might as well be a regular civilian."

The boy frowns. "Why marry him, then?"

The question is direct and leaves little room for ambiguity. However, Liv figures he's asking why she, a non-active sorcerer, married a high-profile sorcerer of Satoru's caliber. Again, she intends to answer his question but Satoru scoffs in response instead.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Satoru asks, his mouth pointing downward.

So childish, Liv notes with a subtle eye-roll.

Megumi glares at him. "It means she should marry someone less likely to die young."

"Are you saying I'm weak?" Satoru counters.

Megumi groans and Tsumiki scratches the back of her neck nervously.

"Sorry about this," she says to Liv. "Sometimes, I think they just can't help it."

Liv chuckles. "Boys will be boys."

Satoru then turns to her abruptly, his voice low. "I'm a man, not a boy."

"Sure," Liv says, bringing a glass of wine to her lips. "That was very manly of you, by the way."

Scoff is his only response and Liv chuckles, finding his reaction cute. He tries to hide his blush with his large hand.

"Gojo-san," Tsumiki says, pointing to his face. "Are you okay? Why are you so red?"

"Ask Liv," he mumbles, and appropriately, Tsumiki glances at Liv.

She raises her palms in defeat. "I seriously have no idea."

Tsumiki giggles and Megumi scoffs at her response.

Once they are done with dinner, Liv asks if anyone would like a dessert. She gets an expected positive from Satoru and a polite yes from Tsumiki. Megumi skips on dessert, asking for a glass of water instead. Obliging, Liv gets up from the table and begins collecting empty plates. She feels Satoru tap her shoulder before taking the plates from her.

"Let me," he says softly and takes the whole stack to the kitchen.

Liv blinks but says nothing, instead just follows after him before telling the youth they'll be back quickly. Once inside the kitchen, the tension subtly rises. Liv remains steady and composed - she knew it wouldn't take him long to find out. She also knew he had to come around willingly or none of it will matter in the end.

"So," he says when she starts cutting up a piece of cake for him. "About the wedding vow. When did you plan on telling me?"

"I didn't lie to you, Gojo," she replies calmly, putting the piece of a plate and pushing it to the side so she can make space for Tsumiki's. "Not once."

He scoffs, his smile menacing and his words dripping with venom. "See, not lying and not saying are two different things."

She frowns as she cuts in, "Gojo - "

"No," he shakes his head while grinning to the point she thought he'd rip open his cheeks. "The kids are here. We'll finish this after they leave."

She doesn't fight him and nods slowly. His eyes burn into hers before he walks past her and back to the dining room. She doesn't feel sorry - she can't be sorry.

Not for this.

"I can't wait to get married," she says the words that should be joyous in the most exasperated tone.

Liv finishes cutting up the second piece of cake and putting it on a plate. She then searches for a tray in the lower cabinets. She finds a medium-sized bamboo tray beneath the sink and puts it on the countertop before placing both plates on it. She remembers that Megumi wanted a glass of water so she pours him one and places it next to the plates with the cake.

By the time she returns to the dining room, Satoru has already immersed himself in some story about one of his students gambling. Tsumiki pays close attention to his words but Megumi seems more interested in an artistic vase on a nearby windowsill. Liv makes herself acknowledged by announcing herself coming in. After she puts the plates down, she makes eye contact with Megumi before giving him his glass of water. The boy studies her for a prolonged while before thanking her. Progress, Liv cheers inwardly.

It is 21:00 by the time they finish dessert so the kids are ready to leave. Satoru gets up from his seat at the same time as they do, going through his pockets to find his car keys. Liv makes sure to smile at them both, not because she feels forced to but because she wants them to know that she truly enjoyed their company.

"It was so nice to meet you," Tsumiki says and from the way she spread her hands, Liv thought the girl would hug her.

Flustered, Tsumiki instead clasps her hands behind her back. Liv finds it adorable.

"Likewise," Liv says softly. "Do visit us again. You can sleep over next time if you want."

She then looks at Satoru, as if asking for an opinion. He is still upset with her but he doesn't object to her idea.

"Thanks for the dinner," Megumi mutters suddenly. "It was good."

Liv smiles at the boy. "Anytime."

"Okay, time to go," Satoru says, breaking up the endearing moment by calling up the lift. "It's late, you should be in bed."

"Goodbye, Liv-san," Tsumiki says cheerfully as she follows Satoru.

Megumi merely waves. Liv watches them as Tsumiki giggles about something with Satoru while Megumi scratches the back of his head. After a while, Satoru brings his arms around both of them and leads them inside the elevator. They turn around to face her, with Tsumiki giving her one more wave while Megumi remains passive. She half hopes for Satoru to give her his signature grin but he merely offers a curt nod. Once the door slides back shut, she reaches for her phone, dialing Mathias' number.

"Liv?" she hears him pick up after four rings.

She sighs. "He's pissed."

"I don't want to tell you," Mathias grumbles, "but I told you so."

"Mathias - "

"Listen, technically, you can't tell him anything regarding the reason behind the marriage," he says, adding, "but you can show him why you can't tell him."

She frowns. "Show him?"

As she says it, it dawns on her. Mathias takes her silence as a sign that she understood his suggestion.

She brings a hand over her mouth. "That might work."

"If it doesn't," he says honestly, "you can always make him do what you want."

"That's your way of handling these kinds of things, Mat," she retorts. "I don't want to lose him."

"You don't want to lose him," he asks, "or you don't want to lose to him? You pride yourself in your intellect and yet, Gojo saw right through you."

She doesn't answer him because, at this time, she doesn't know which is it.

"Good luck sister," he says softly and hangs up.

She stares at her phone for a while, pondering his last question. After a few minutes of silence both within and without of her head, she returns to the kitchen to clean up the dishes.

October 9th, 2016. / 21:48 / Fushiguro Residence, Saitama, Japan

"Thank you, Gojo-san," Tsumiki says, smiling as she exits the car.

"Don't stay up late, you two," he says with a large grin on his face.

"Okay," both Tsumiki and Megumi reply and turn on their heel, heading inside.

"Megumi."

The boy stops in his tracks and turns around. "What?"

Satoru beckons him to come closer and once he does, he asks him, "What's your opinion on Liv?"

Megumi frowns. "Is this a trick question?"

"No," Satoru answers honestly. "I just want your take on her, that's all."

Megumi hums, still thinking it's a trick question. "She's not annoying and Tsumiki likes her, so that's good."

"Do you like her?" Satoru asks and Megumi wonders if it's doubt he hears in the man's voice.

He answers him anyway, "For now."

Satoru smiles and nods. "That's good then."

Megumi rolls his eyes and mutters under his breath, "So weird."

Satoru doesn't call him out for the last comment and merely waves at him. He waits for the siblings to enter their house before driving back home.

October 9th, 2016. / 22:15 / Gojo Residence, Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan

Liv is sitting on the couch, freshly showered and in her pajamas. Her hazel eyes are focused on the view over Roppongi. The colorful lights dance in the darkness. She hears the elevator ring sometime after ten o'clock. Her stomach twists and she tries to swallow the nervousness, the lights of Roppongi no longer of interest to her.

"You're back," she says softly over her shoulder as Satoru walks into the living room.

He blinks. "Yeah."

He walks to the couch, his step is slouchy as he crawls into the seat next to her. He sighs and leans his head back, frustration apparent on his face.

"Still want to talk?" she asks.

He rolls his head to the side so he can look her in the eye. "Are you gonna talk?"

She presses her lips and looks down at her lap. "I can't tell you much."

"Can't," he asks, "or won't?"

"Gojo - "

"Are your secrets more important than me?" he asks evenly.

"It's not that simple," she tells him slowly.

He closes his eyes.

"Is this the price?" he asks while his eyes are still closed. "The binding vow."

Just this once, she wants to say but knows it's not true - not yet, anyway. "Yes."

He sighs and hides his face in the palms of his hands. "Damn it, Liv. Why didn't you just tell me?"

She takes a deep breath. "You'd have found out anyway."

"Finding out this way sucks big-time," he says icily, his eyes meeting hers.

He's silent and so is she. They stare at each other, electric blue meeting hazel green. The world stops for a second and neither of them breathes. Satoru frowns in confusion and watches as she suddenly sticks out her tongue, fully and without restraint. A bright, familiar mark appears and his eyes widen as he reads the Kanji on her tongue.

"Is that - " he can't even bring himself to say it.

Vow of Silence.

Binding vows are the base of all jujutsu - sacrificing to gain. The Vow of Silence is unique in the sense that the sorcerer is more or less cursed with no benefits; the Vow doesn't give a power boost to the sorcerer's abilities. Its primary role is to ensure the integrity of the secret without fearing human error. For this reason, sorcerers tend to avoid this kind of binding vow. The vow also often involves instant death as payment for breaking silence. To Satoru, this means that whatever the Shuuin are hiding, they would rather die than reveal it to the world. Could it be a technique after all? he wonders. It's connected to their Vow of Pacifism as well, no doubt.

"So, there is a secret after all," he says. "Guess those higher-ups had a reason to be paranoid, for once."

She retracts her tongue and stares him dead in the eye. "I never lied to you, Gojo, and I do want to help you."

He runs his hand through his white locks. "You make it really hard to trust you."

"Likewise."

His eyes meet hers again and there is a certain anger in her hazel orbs.

"I am not the enemy, Gojo," she seethed, her breathing frantic, "so don't make me one."

He laughs, "Are you threatening me?"

"Threatening you?" she scoffs. "In these twenty years, did I ever, even remotely, try and threaten you?"

He remains silent.

"You are drowned in your own distrust of me that you can't see past it," she says, her voice strained. "To make matters worse, you make me doubtful of you."

"Keeping secrets doesn't foster trust," he bites back.

"Because I can't tell you, damn it," she cries out. "I want to, I desperately want to but I can't!"

Her outburst makes her pant and the pent-up frustration is evident as she hugs one of the pillows on the couch. There is something about the way she curls up into a fetus that makes his insides churn and twist.

"Marriage is about sharing and compromise," she spat as she hugged a pillow. "Get used to it."