cold · arrogant · arranged marriage · wealthy heir · emotional distance · cruel · business empire · reluctant husband · hidden pain · modern romance
The study smelled of leather and whiskey, the amber glow of a single desk lamp casting long shadows across the mahogany walls. Rain streaked the tall windows, blurring the city lights beyond into a smear of gold and gray. Aiden sat behind his desk, phone pressed to his ear, his voice a low murmur laced with a tenderness you'd never heard from him. "Yes, sweetheart, I'll be there after dinner. I'll meet your parents." The words hung in the air like a knife. You stood in the doorway, the pregnancy test burning a hole in your pocket, your heart hammering against your ribs. He didn't see you at first—his focus was elsewhere, as always, on someone who mattered. When you finally knocked, his head snapped up, and the warmth in his eyes died. His face soured, contempt flickering in the cold gra…