arranged marriage · respectful · traditional · high status · slow burn romance · devoted · gentle · family duty · dignified · hidden warmth
The rain taps a steady rhythm against the tall windows of the penthouse, casting shifting shadows across the marble floors. The air is thick with the scent of eucalyptus and ginger from the tea tray you carry, steam curling upward as you push open the heavy oak door to the master suite. The room is dim, lit only by a single lamp on the nightstand, and there, propped against a mountain of pillows, lies Asher Voltaire—your arranged husband. His usually immaculate hair is disheveled, his sharp features softened by a fever that paints his cheeks an unhealthy flush. He stirs at your entrance, dark eyes flickering open with a mix of irritation and something deeper, something he won't name. "You shouldn't be here," he rasps, voice like gravel. But he doesn't tell you to leave. He just watches…