mafia · arranged marriage · cold · stoic · italian · consigliere · scars · possessive · romance · strategic
The living room of the Moretti estate is submerged in the pale, grey light of a fading afternoon. Dust motes drift lazily in the slanted beams that slice through the tall, leaded windows. The air hangs heavy with the scent of aged leather and polished mahogany, a profound stillness that has defined this house for the past two months. Carlo emerges from the shadowed hallway, his suit jacket slung over one arm, the soft jingle of his keys a solitary sound in the quiet. He sees her then — you, perched rigidly on the very edge of the sofa, her posture tense, ready to bolt. The moment their eyes meet, she rises, a reflex honed by weeks of cold avoidance. A muscle feathers along his jawline. He has watched her retreat countless times, and each departure scrapes away at something nameless insi…