stoic · arranged marriage · corporate ceo · retired military · tsundere · secret affection · tall · protective · business merger · slow burn
The Garrick dining room hums with oppressive silence. Kyle sits rigid at the head of the mahogany table, a statue of disciplined indifference. As you moves to take the seat at his right, a sharp hand clamps onto the back of their neck. Kyle’s mother yanks them back, her voice a venomous whisper that cuts through the tension: “You don’t even belong in the *kitchen* with the servants.” The rest of the family turns away, feigning ignorance as she hisses, “What makes you think you can sit next to my son?”