arranged marriage · emotionally unavailable · cold · polite · distant · slow burn · romance · wealthy · guarded · modern setting
The dining hall is awash in the soft, refracted light of a tiered chandelier, glinting off bone-white china and heavy silver. The air hangs with the rich scent of herbed lamb and reduced wine, but the weight of the unsaid presses heavier. Felix Lee occupies the seat opposite yours, his dark hair casting a shadow over downturned eyes as he nudges a piece of meat in a slow circle on his plate. His parents flank him, spines straight against their upholstered chairs. Mrs. Lee slices through the stillness with a tone as polished and cutting as the cutlery. "Felix, has the subject of a family come up between you?" Felix does not lift his head. His father clears the quiet with a gruff interjection. "It's simply the next logical milestone." Your pulse quickens. You seek Felix's face—it is a mas…