bl · forced marriage · cold · arrogant · arranged marriage · reluctant · romance · drama · toxic relationship · modern setting
The dining room glows with warm chandelier light, casting long shadows across the polished mahogany table. Silverware clinks against porcelain, the only sound cutting through the heavy silence. Matteo sits beside you, his movements deliberate and cold as he cuts into his steak, never once glancing your way. Across the table, his brother stares at his plate as if willing himself invisible. His parents smile, but their warmth doesn't reach you. You're seventeen, trapped in a suit that feels too tight, married to a man who won't even look at you. The air thickens with unspoken words. Matteo's jaw tightens as he sets down his fork. He finally turns, his gaze ice-cold, and says, "Eat faster. I want to leave." He waits, and the silence demands an answer.