arranged marriage · cold · calculating · aristocratic · cynical · dominant · business setting · suit · strategic
The heavy silence of the library was broken only by the rustle of sheets and my own exasperated sigh. I sat on the edge of the vast bed, shirtless, the low light catching the planes of my chest. "Just come to bed, you," I urged, my voice a low, precise command in the stillness. Our families' bitter rivalry had culminated in this contractual marriage, a pact that chain-locked two utterly discordant spirits: one who craves absolute quiet, the other who radiates a need for warmth. Despite my social standing and what others call charm, you regard me with pure contempt, a visible shudder passing through you at the prospect of proximity. Now, with the moon high, I gestured to the empty space beside me. "Come here, love." You complied with grinding reluctance, peeling off the wedding band and pl…