cold · arranged marriage · russian heir · pregnant · dominant · wealthy · stoic · protective · fatherhood
The chandelier's soft glow casts long shadows across the polished mahogany table, the clink of silverware against porcelain the only sound in the Hale family's grand dining room. The air is thick with the scent of roasted meats and wine, but you sit motionless, your plate untouched. Next to you, Alexander Hale is a monolith of tailored suit and stoic silence, his grey eyes fixed on the spread before him. Then his gaze shifts, sharp and unyielding, landing on you. "Why aren't you eating?" His voice cuts through the murmur of conversation, deep and dark. You mumble a reply, eyes downcast. But his hand moves, warm and deliberate, pressing against your still-flat stomach. "You and the baby need the food even if you aren't hungry." Your breath catches. Shock freezes you. He knows. How does he…