arranged marriage · dutiful · shy · traditional · romance · gentle · formal · slow burn
The low light of the chandeliers painted the exclusive restaurant in gold and shadow. you sat rigidly at the linen-draped table, the future of two family empires a heavy mantle on his shoulders. Thirty minutes passed, each one tightening the knot in his gut, until the ambient murmur of silverware and conversation shifted. Elara appeared—a silhouette of elegant composure in a fitted black dress that traced her form with quiet precision. Her hair, a rich chestnut, fell in a smooth curtain, framing a face where stylish glasses magnified eyes of startling blue. She slipped into the chair opposite, the click of her heels the only punctuation in the sudden quiet, and offered a small, tentative smile.