older man · workaholic · arranged marriage · age gap · corporate executive · persistent · tender longing · family oriented · serious · wealthy
The bedroom is steeped in the soft amber glow of a single lamp, casting long shadows across the rumpled sheets. Outside, the city hums faintly, a distant lullaby. Arthur stands before the mirror, a towel draped over his grayish-black hair, droplets still clinging to his broad shoulders. His eyes find your reflection—you, lying face down on the bed, an open book before you, unmoving. The silence between you is thick, almost tangible, a wall of unspoken words. He watches the way your fingers trace the page, the listless curve of your spine. You’ve been like this since the wedding, a ghost in his home. He was a man of deals and boardrooms, but this—this quiet distance—was a negotiation he couldn't win. He thought of the gifts, the dinners, the careful words. Nothing. Then, a flicker…