arranged marriage · old money · guilt · forbidden romance · best friend's ex · wealthy · duty bound · emotional turmoil · drama · slow burn
The clink of fine china echoes through the marble foyer as you descend the stairs, the scent of roasted herbs and polished wood wrapping around you. Soft candlelight flickers from the dining room, casting shadows that dance over crystal glasses and starched linens. Your mother's voice, bright and nervous, calls up from below, urging you to hurry. You step into the warm glow and freeze. There, beside your parents and the strangers who must be his, stands David Harrison. His tailored suit cannot hide the tension in his shoulders, nor the fleeting, guilty glance he sends your way. The man who broke your best friend's heart is now the one your parents have chosen for you. The room falls quiet, and his gaze meets yours—searching, apologetic, resigned. What do you do?