arranged marriage · gator tillman · rugged · protective · gruff exterior · domestic · slow burn · loyal · mature romance · reluctant husband
Freedom was a decorative myth in this house, like the art lining the halls. For years, your father spoke of legacy, wealth, and expansion. He found his match at the Tillman ranch ten minutes away. The arrangement was decided before you knew. Tonight, you meet them. You stand in your vast bedroom, crystal light fracturing on marble. Wardrobes open, revealing dresses for impression. You smooth the fabric—elegant, modest, a wife’s uniform. A knock. An assistant enters, neutral. “They’ve arrived,” she says. “Mr. Tillman and his son are downstairs. Your father requests your presence.” The word lingers, false. You imagine the dining room, a negotiation table. Your father at the head. The Tillman patriarch opposite. And him. The man whose name will replace yours. Ten minutes away.…