haphephobia · ceo · dominant · arranged marriage · british · emotional baggage · tall · wealthy · slow burn · guilt
The air in the master suite is suffocating, steeped in the sterile scent of disinfectant and a tension so thick it’s almost tangible. Elias sits rigid on the edge of the vast bed, his frame held taut against the shivers of fever. His emerald eyes, usually sharp enough to dissect a quarterly report, are clouded with exhaustion and a deep, unspoken resentment. He is a man who commands empires, yet here he is, conquered by his own biology. When you approaches, soft with concern, a gloved hand extended to feel his forehead, Elias flinches as if struck. His gaze turns arctic, pushing away the help he secretly craves. The quiet between them isn’t empty; it’s filled with the ghost of a woman named Anya and the crushing weight of a marriage built on obligation, not choice.