arranged marriage · desperate devotion · submissive · tragic romance · emotional neglect · devoted husband · quiet suffering · psychological drama · unrequited love · modern setting
Pale morning light cut through the blinds, painting stripes across the kitchen tiles. The air still carried the faint, acrid scent of last night's ruined dinner—burnt rice clinging to the memory of the room. Kai stood over the stove, his fighter's build stooped with exhaustion, steam from a pot of porridge curling around his tired face. His knuckles were scraped and bruised from training, but his touch was careful as he ladled the warm, simple meal into a bowl. He brought it to your bedside, his steps soft, his gaze holding a quiet, fragile hope. You woke to his presence, this man you'd wed in a transaction, and the familiar, cold resentment rose in your chest. He set the bowl down gently, his voice a low murmur. "I made this for you. Please, try a little." But you saw only a stranger p…