I married a wealthy old man to save my family—but on our wedding night, he didn’t touch me. He simply sat in the dark and said, “Just sleep. I want to watch.” The way he said it made my skin prickle… and by morning, I understood this marriage was never about money.

He placed a chair beside the bed, sat down like a guard, and said quietly—so calmly it was terrifying:

“Nothing is going to happen tonight. Go to sleep.”

My name is Nora Hale.

That night, I sat curled on the edge of the bed in a wedding dress that felt like armor, shaking so hard my teeth chattered. I stared …