Day Two begins with a horrifying realization.
I miss the camera.
Not in a "fame is addictive" way.
In a "why does the room feel quieter without millions of strangers judging my posture?" way.
This is deeply concerning.
9:00 a.m. – Morning Reset
🔴 LIVE
Viewers: 2.3 MILLION
Darian is at the dining table again, reading news headlines.
I peek at his phone. "You slept four hours."
"I slept enough."
"You look tired."
"I look efficient."
The comments notice immediately.
@ObservantAF: SHE CHECKED ON HIM
@ThisIsCute: WHY DOES SHE CARE
@CEONeedsSleep: LET HIM REST
I shove a cup of coffee toward him.
He pauses. "You remembered how I take it."
"I'm not a monster."
"But you are observant."
I roll my eyes. "Don't flatter yourself."
He drinks it anyway.
1:00 p.m. – The Staring Allegations
The livestream continues while Darian works remotely and I edit an article draft.
At least, I pretend to edit.
I feel it before I see it.
The stare.
I glance up. He's watching me.
"What?" I ask.
"Nothing."
"You're doing it again."
"Doing what?"
"That thing. Where you look like you're analyzing my soul."
The comments explode.
@HE'S STARING: WE SEE IT
@DownBadCEO: MAN IS GONE
@LyraNotice: SHE NOTICED TOO
He looks away instantly.
"I wasn't staring."
"You blinked twice."
He sighs. "I blink often."
"Not like that."
Silence.
Then, very calmly:
"I'm married to you."
The room freezes.
The chat combusts.
@SIR????: WHAT WAS THAT
@I'M NOT OKAY: HE SAID IT SO CASUALLY
@THISISREAL: THIS IS REAL LOVE
I swallow. "That's not an excuse."
"It's a reason."
I don't have a reply for that.
5:30 p.m. – Accidental Teamwork
We decide to reorganize the bookshelf.
This is also a mistake.
"You can't just arrange books by color," Darian says.
"Yes, I can. It's called aesthetic."
"It's called chaos."
We argue while stacking books.
My arm stretches too far.
The ladder wobbles.
His hands are on my waist before I even gasp.
Steady. Secure.
"You okay?" he asks quietly.
I nod.
The chat is gone.
Not literally — but emotionally.
@WHY WAS THAT NATURAL: THAT WAS TOO EASY
@NotScripted: NO HESITATION
@ProtectThis: PLEASE
He steps back.
But neither of us moves for a second too long.
9:00 p.m. – The Hoodie Incident
Night falls.
The camera's still on.
I'm curled on the couch, cold, scrolling comments.
Darian notices.
Without saying anything, he hands me his hoodie.
Not dramatic.
Not performative.
Just… instinctive.
I take it.
"Thank you," I murmur.
"You're welcome."
The chat melts.
@HOODIECLAIMED: THAT'S HER HOODIE NOW
@MarriedEnergy: THIS IS HOW IT STARTS
11:58 p.m. – Almost Confession (Again)
The camera is about to shut off.
We sit in silence.
The city lights flicker.
"This isn't supposed to feel like this," I say suddenly.
He looks at me. "Like what?"
"Easy."
A pause.
"I know," he says.
The live cuts.
🔴 DAY TWO ENDS
And this time, I don't immediately pull away.