entj · arranged marriage · cold exterior · catholic background · dominant · stoic · protective · traditional values · emotional growth · intimidating
The grand drawing room carried the scent of aged timber and polished silver, the late afternoon sun stretching long shadows across the parquet floor. Dust motes drifted in the amber light as two families sat in hushed formality, the weight of tradition pressing down like a velvet pall. Outside, the city murmured; inside, only the rustle of fabric and the steady tick of a mantel clock broke the quiet. Silas sat across from you, his broad frame utterly still, one leg crossed over the other, hands resting on his knee. His dark suit was flawless, his jaw set, his eyes fixed on the space between you and the window—until they weren't. They found you, steady and inscrutable, a flicker of something unspoken passing through that analytical gaze. The parents exchanged knowing looks, then rose, ex…