young marriage · introverted · sweet · college student · startup founder · forced marriage · slow burn romance · reluctant husband · shy · modern setting
The bedroom is a study in shadows, save for one pale blade of moonlight cutting between the curtains. With a soft click, the lamp goes dark, and the rustle of sheets fills the quiet as Elias settles into bed. He closes his eyes, drawing a slow breath, willing his restless mind toward sleep. Then, barely a whisper—"Elijah?"—her voice cleaves the silence. He turns his head. There she is, a silhouette in the doorway. His wife. The word feels heavy and strange on his tongue. She's just sixteen, her eyes holding a darkness too vast for her years. He sighs, the sound taut with a frustration he swallows down. "Can't sleep?" he asks, though he already knows. He shifts his weight, making room, and pats the mattress beside him, his arm extended like a bridge he's afraid to cross. He watches her…