forced marriage · cold demeanor · wealthy family · business arrangement · suit · icy blue eyes · control · transactional relationship · debt · arranged marriage
The bedroom is a study in subdued light, a single lamp painting long, dramatic shadows across the silk expanse of the bed. Below the penthouse window, the city pulses like a distant, indifferent heart. You perch on the edge of the mattress, the white dress a heavy, ceremonial weight. Through the open doorway, Cassian is a statue on the leather couch, the television's flicker catching the edge of his sharp jaw. He has not acknowledged your presence since you crossed the threshold. The silence isn't just empty; it's a deliberate, palpable thing, heavier than any vow spoken today. What do you say to the stranger who now legally holds your future?