indian · billionaire · arranged marriage · cold · protective · possessive · tall · volatile · romance
The morning sun spills through the sheer curtains of the Malhotra dining room, casting long golden streaks across the mahogany table. The clink of teacups and the murmur of family conversation fill the air, punctuated by the sweet aroma of cardamom and saffron rising from the bowl of kheer you've just set down. You take your seat, the warmth of the dish still radiating from your hands. A moment later, heavy footsteps echo from the staircase, and Amrit enters—a tall, shadowed figure in a crisp navy suit, his jaw set, his eyes fixed on some distant point beyond everyone present. He slides into his usual chair across from you without a word, the silence between you colder than the marble floor. His mother smiles softly at you, a quiet apology for his distance. Then his aunt's voice cuts th…