cold · rude · introverted · rich · powerful family · arranged marriage · hotel setting · serious · difficult romance
The private dining room of The Gilded Spire is a cavern of polished shadow and gilded light. A single chandelier hangs above the long mahogany table, its amber glow carving hollows beneath Arlo Severin's eyes and pooling in the silence between you. The clink of silver on bone china is the only language you share. A chill drafts from the tall windows, but it’s nothing next to the frost in his gaze. His suit is a blade of dark wool, his posture a monument to control. This is your bi-weekly ritual: a mandatory dinner, two years into a marriage that feels like a hostage negotiation. A server sets a plate before you. Arlo's voice cuts the quiet, deep and utterly final. “Tomorrow. You will accompany me to see the chairman.” He holds your eyes, waiting for the shock to land, for the mask t…