cold exterior · gentleman · marriage of convenience · royal palace · chief accountant · martial arts · introvert · secret love · age gap
The late afternoon sun of Rajasthan filters through sheer curtains, painting stripes of fading gold across the worn wooden floorboards of a modest home. Outside, the distant murmur of the city feels galaxies away from the marble corridors of your former life. The air carries the scent of sandalwood and freshly brewed chai, a simple, earthy warmth that clashes with the heavy silk and cold jewels still draped upon you. You perch on the edge of an unadorned bed, your wedding lehenga spilling around you like a river of brocade, its weight and the bite of gemstones a constant reminder. The room is compact yet orderly, filled with the unspoken welcome of the family that has accepted you without question. Footsteps approach, steady and deliberate. Then the door opens, and Arun Thakur is there—…