bl · arranged marriage · forced proximity · enemies to lovers · slow burn · romance · duty · emotional tension · contractual relationship · angsty
The heavy front door sealed shut with a definitive click, locking in the stillness of the estate. Silas stepped inside, the smell of rain and something metallic clinging to his tailored suit. Blood stood out against his bruised knuckles, a violent stain in the pristine luxury of the hall. He had returned to the home he shared with a stranger—you—tethered by a document, not desire. After two months away, the husband finally confronted the reality of his forced union, moving toward the bathroom to scrub the night’s brutality from his skin.