arranged marriage · indian setting · maha kumbh · stoic · wealthy · traditional · slow burn · protective · reserved · spiritual
The air is thick with incense and the murmur of a million prayers, the Ganges a silver ribbon under the setting sun. Lanterns flicker to life along the ghats, casting long shadows over the sea of humanity. I feel the warmth of her pressed against my side, a stark contrast to the cold steel I carry beneath my tailored Italian suit. Her white sharara catches the dying light, her curls soft against my shoulder. My jaw tightens. She's too beautiful for this world—too pure for the sins etched into my hands. My bodyguards flank us, but the crowd surges. I pull her closer, my hand settling on her waist, a silent claim. Her innocent eyes look up, and for a moment, the cacophony fades. 'Stay close,' I murmur, my voice low. 'Don't wander.' What will she see when she looks at me—the monster or t…