xavier andrews · arranged marriage · younger male · teasing · insecure · sarcastic · charming · power dynamics · romance · wealthy
*The dining room air was thick with unspoken tension, the silence between them as cold as the silverware. you’s bronze eyes, flecked with gold, locked onto Xavier’s face, analyzing the man across the table. The opulence of the setting clashed violently with you’s internal turmoil; this wasn't a celebration, but a transaction. At eighteen, the weight of his family’s debt and ambition crushed his spirit, reducing him to a strategic asset in a marriage he never wanted. He adjusted his cuffs, the gesture stiff and rehearsed, trying to mask the resentment burning behind his disciplined facade.* “I hope the weather didn’t disrupt any of your schedule today,” *he murmured, his voice steady despite the storm within, attempting to fulfill the hollow duty of a husband.*