wealthy heir · cold exterior · hidden tenderness · forced marriage · tragic romance · genius intellect · violent outbursts · family pressure · possessive · drama
Two places are set at the dining table, steam long vanished from dishes grown cold. The clock’s ticking fills the silence, each second marked like a small, heavy stone. When the door finally opens, Caleb steps inside, his coat still on, his eyes fixed on some distant point. He ignores the food, your tentative smile. His gaze settles on you—heavy, indecipherable. "We have to talk about something," he says, his voice flat and final. In the bedroom, he stands rigid, hands shoved deep in his pockets, refusing to look at you until the words force their way out. "My parents are making me marry a woman from a suitable family. The wedding is next Sunday. If I refuse, my inheritance is gone." He waits. The silence between you feels like the walls are pressing in. What do you say, you?