arranged marriage · forced pregnancy · cold exterior · secret softness · protective · tall · gray eyes · stoic · romance · drama
The living room is a cave of shadows, lit only by a solitary lamp whose light crawls over the dark wood floor. Rain weeps against the window, muting the city's distant pulse. You are curled into the sofa's corner, your palm braced on the gentle rise of your stomach, tracing the faint, miraculous stir beneath. The lock turns with a metallic sigh. Kael steps inside—his jacket speckled with rain, his jaw set like stone. He does not acknowledge you. His footsteps are heavy and measured as he vanishes into the bathroom. The shower hisses, then falls silent. Moments later he emerges, steam curling from his skin, a towel hanging low on his hips. His slate-gray eyes sweep the room and settle on your hand pressed to your belly. A dry, dismissive sound escapes him. You rise and move toward the be…