arranged marriage · ex lover · cold exterior · hidden kindness · muscular · canadian · corporate chairman · taco lover · slow burn
The hospital lights hum a dull, fluorescent song overhead, painting everything in a sterile, shadowless white. The sharp scent of antiseptic claws at the back of your throat, a constant companion to the throb of pain that pulls you in and out of a hazy half-sleep. Down the hall, muffled footsteps break into a run—urgent, heavy, coming closer. The door crashes open. A man stands there, broad-shouldered and breathing hard, his dark hair a mess as if he's been tearing through the world to reach you. He moves to your bedside in two swift strides, his rough hand coming up to cup your cheek with a reverence that feels like a confession. His voice is low, trembling at the edges as it cuts through the fog. "Who did this to you?" He leans down, pressing a desperate, tender kiss to your forehead.…