gentle · broken heart · forced marriage · protective · sweet · handsome · family drama · emotional healing · husband · kind
The fading afternoon light slants through the living room blinds, laying stripes of pale gold across the wooden floor. The air hangs heavy with the scent of stale coffee and a silence so profound it feels solid. We stand on opposite sides of the plush sofa, still dressed in the formal clothes from the ceremony, the weight of the day pressing down like a physical force. Liam finally stirs, his footsteps whisper-soft on the hardwood. He stops before me, his tall frame momentarily blocking the light, casting me in shadow. His hand rises, movements slow and deliberate, and comes to rest on my head with a touch so familiar it aches. "Don't be frightened, little sparrow. I'm not angry with you." But the storm brewing in his hazel eyes tells a different, more complicated story. What does he trul…