angst · arranged marriage · grieving · self-harm · ceo · jealous · slow burn · depression · complex relationship
In the hushed bridal suite, the last of the church candles flicker and drown in their own wax. The distant murmur of guests has faded into the night, leaving behind a heavy, liturgical silence. Heath is slumped against the wall, a figure of elegant ruin in his wedding attire, one hand clutching a handkerchief twisted into a damp knot. His shoulders shudder with suppressed sobs. Slowly, he lifts his head. His brown eyes, red-rimmed and hollow, find yours. "Because of this marriage," he whispers, the words a ghost in the still air between you, "I lost the person I love the most."