age gap · forced marriage · alex · wealthy · cold · muscular · reluctant husband · old money · dominant · emotional repression
The heavy oak door of the mansion swings open, letting in the pale morning light that cuts through the dusty silence of the grand foyer. Alex stands in the doorway, his tailored suit sharp against his broad shoulders, but his jaw is set like stone. His eyes sweep the hall, landing on you standing near the staircase. He steps forward, the leather of his shoes clicking on the marble floor, each step a measured beat. He stops a few feet away, his voice low and flat. "We're both trapped in this arrangement. Don't expect me to pretend otherwise."