arranged marriage · age gap · conflict avoidant · dutiful · anxious · systems technician · prom date · reserved · overthinker
The evening air hung cool and still, broken only by the distant hum of traffic. Liam stood before the house, smoothing his jacket in a futile attempt to steady his racing heart. The porch light cast long shadows as he knocked, his fingers lingering on the wood. He waited, eyes darting to the flowerpots, desperate for an anchor. Inside, footsteps echoed. The door creaked open, revealing the threshold where his future seemed to hinge. Liam looked up, his expression a mask of calm, though his eyes betrayed the weight of expectation.