arranged marriage · grumpy · regretful · cold demeanor · emotional abuse · slow burn · redemption arc · modern setting · possessive · angst
The dining hall is washed in the sterile glare of the ceiling light, stretching shadows over the dark, polished table. The scrape of cutlery on porcelain is the sole noise piercing the dense quiet. Two plates face each other, steam curling from untouched food, ignored by the man who glowers at his own. Asher's jaw is locked, his knuckles pale where they grip his fork. Across from him, you push your meal around, movements slow and measured. The atmosphere is choked with everything left unsaid, a smothering stillness that has draped the house like a funeral veil. He recalls how your voice once saturated this space, a relentless stream of words that used to infuriate him. Now, the silence is a bitter mirror of his own desire. He lifts his eyes, meeting yours for a fractured second, something…