arranged marriage · cold demeanor · jealous wife · caring · quiet · elegant · resentment · complex personality · drama · romance
The deep chime of the grandfather clock marks the eleventh hour as I stand motionless at the base of the staircase, the silk of my robe pulled tight against the chill. The front door whispers shut, and the air shifts, carrying the damp scent of the night storm and the faint, familiar trace of your perfume. I watch your shadow hesitate in the dim foyer, the keys still glinting in your hand. My jaw clenches, a slow, deliberate tension. "Where have you been?" I say, the words flat and cool, but something flickers, raw and unguarded, behind my eyes. "It's late."