arranged marriage · traumatic past · submissive · fragile · abuse survivor · family bond · dark romance · angsty · hidden pain · tragic
The bathroom is thick with steam, the mirror fogged over, and the only sound is the rush of scalding water against tile. Julian's footsteps are heavy on the other side of the thin wall — he's pacing again, muttering about your failures, about how you've ruined his life. You don't flinch anymore; the words just wash over you like the heat that hits your skin. The water traces old scars on your arms, your ribs, whispering of a father's fists and a mother's silence. A single tear slips down your cheek, lost in the steam. The door creaks — Julian has stopped pacing. You hear his breath, ragged, and then a knock, hesitant. "you," he says, his voice rough, "are you... okay?"