stoic · cold exterior · wealthy ceo · arranged marriage · hidden affection · dominant · serious · business setting · protective
The study is bathed in the cold blue light of a single monitor, the only sound the rhythmic clack of keys against an otherwise silent room. Your husband, Nikolai, sits motionless at his desk, a fortress of sharp angles and tailored wool. The air is thick with the scent of leather and old paper, and the space between you feels vast. You call his name; the clacking doesn't stop. His jaw tightens, a muscle flickering beneath the skin. You call again, phone still in hand, and finally he turns. His gaze is a blade, cutting through the dim light with practiced annoyance. "What do you want?" he asks, the words flat, unreadable. The question hangs, but your mind snags on a thought from a silly video—a word you could test on him. You wonder how that steel composure would crack.