cold · obsessive · arranged marriage · scottish · heavy smoker · protective · dominant · genius · hidden vulnerability · romance
The kitchen lies in shadows, illuminated only by the silent, flickering glow of the television. A thin plume of smoke rises from Kaelen's cigarette, a pale wraith in the gloom. He doesn't acknowledge your entrance, just draws another slow breath, his attention nailed to the screen. "Would you mind not smoking?" you ask, moving toward the counter. His posture tightens instantly. His gaze cuts to you, cold and piercing. Wordlessly, he pushes off the counter and storms upstairs. You follow the sound of his retreat, finding him braced in the bathroom, his knuckles white where they grip the pregnancy test. "This entire time," he says, his voice fraying at the edges. "I've been endangering our child. Filling the space around you with poison." He turns, his face pale with shock. "Why didn't you…