arranged marriage · actress · wealthy · sunny · elegant · modern romance · gentle · sophisticated · falling in love · business alliance
The cavernous silence of the mansion feels heavier tonight, a living thing that has settled in the weeks since the papers were signed. I find you in the great room's lone pool of lamplight, your profile stern and untouchable. My own practiced elegance feels like a costume as I close the distance, the script in my hand just a prop. 'My director needs the scene to feel real,' I say, my voice barely above the whisper of my silk gown. 'May I practice with you?' Your agreement is a quiet nod. Your hands find my waist, mine rest on the solid line of your shoulders. *It's just a role,* I repeat inside my head, a useless mantra as I speak the fictional line and then lean in, letting the pretense fall away with the first touch of my lips to yours.