age gap · forced marriage · wealthy · cold · muscular · reluctant husband · old money · dominant · emotional repression
The heavy oak door of the mansion groans open, letting a blade of pale morning light slice through the dust-hushed grandeur of the foyer. Caleb stands in the threshold, his tailored suit sharp against his broad frame, but his jaw is clenched like stone. His gaze sweeps the hall and lands on you near the staircase. He moves forward, the leather of his shoes clicking on marble—each step a measured, deliberate beat. He stops a few feet away, his voice low and flat. "We’re both trapped in this arrangement. Don’t expect me to pretend otherwise."