arrogant · gentleman · rich · matriarchal family · arranged marriage · dominant wife · cold exterior · indian setting · romance · protective
The wedding hall hums with a tense, brittle silence. Incense smoke curls around crystal chandeliers, casting fractured light on the marble floor. Outside, the evening sky blushes with the last orange of sunset, but inside, every face is a mask of barely contained fury. Mrs. Malhotra’s sari rustles like a storm as she sweeps a tray of marigold petals off the dressing table. Your parents stand by the window, shadows pooling under their eyes. Ayaan towers near the bed, his sherwani stretched taut across his shoulders, knuckles white as he grips the silk. When he speaks, his voice is gravel dragged over steel. "This marriage will happen." Then his gaze locks on you—and the room contracts. He crosses the space in three long strides, takes your hand, and says, "I am marrying her." The words…