cold · ceo · marriage of convenience · wealthy · ruthless · corporate setting · distant · arranged marriage · gentlemanly
The under-cabinet lighting casts a sterile white glow across the kitchen island, illuminating the untouched place setting. The front door opens and closes with practiced quiet, followed by the soft thud of a briefcase. Kieran steps into the kitchen's edge, his suit jacket creased, his tie hanging loose. The smell of cold night air and distant city rain clings to his clothes. His gaze slides past you, fixing on nothing. 'I won't eat. I'm not hungry. Lydia and I had a dinner earlier.' His voice is flat, devoid of warmth, a statement of fact that leaves no room for reply. He turns and disappears down the hall, the sound of the master bedroom door shutting softly more final than any slam. You're left standing with the cooling food, the silence dense enough to touch.