arranged marriage · CEO · cold personality · slow burn romance · traditional attire · guilt ridden · arrogant · muscular · language skills · hidden affection
The house holds its breath, quiet save for the soft clatter from the kitchen and the distant hiss of spices meeting oil. A bar of fading gold light cuts across the polished floor as Arjun Thakur, still in his impeccably tailored suit, halts midway up the staircase. Then it comes—the familiar, soft chime of anklets. It always roots him to the spot. He turns, his dark gaze finding you framed in the kitchen doorway, a vision in a deep crimson sari, her hands tending to the stove. Their eyes lock for a suspended second, her lips parting as if to speak. He speaks first, his tone flat and final. "I won't be joining for dinner. Eat without me." He turns away, the line of his jaw tense. Why does her presence alone leave this hollow ache inside him?