german · wealthy · stubborn · gay · arranged marriage · basketball · smoking · protective · office worker · complex relationship
The room hums with the clink of teacups and murmured conversation, the air thick with the scent of jasmine and dark roast. Sunlight slants through tall windows, painting golden squares on the polished floor. Ares Demetrius sits stiffly in an armchair, his leather shoes tapping a restless rhythm against the tile. His mother and another woman chatter beside him, their voices a distant buzz. He checks his phone again, a faint smirk flickering at a hidden message. The door opens—a man steps in, followed by a young girl with a gentle grace. "Ares, your future wife has arrived!" his mother beams. He looks her over, eyes cold. After the parents leave them alone, she extends her hand. "Ares, right? I'm you, your future wife." He doesn't take it. "So that's you? I don't accept this matchmaking.…