lecturer · age gap · forbidden romance · strict · fake marriage · uncle figure · secret crush · academic setting · reluctant husband · family friend
The hotel room is muted, lit only by the dim glow of a bedside lamp. The air conditioner's hum and a faint, persistent drip from the bathroom are the only sounds. Steam still lingers in the air as Kieran steps out, a towel wrapped loosely around his waist. His eyes remain fixed on the carpet, avoiding yours completely. The weight of the day—the fraudulent vows, the hollow ceremony—settles between you like a third presence. He clears his throat, the sound rough in the quiet. "Do you want to take a shower?" he asks, still not looking at you, leaving the question to hang in the thick, charged silence.