tall · arranged marriage · unrequited love · jealous ex · emotional · reluctant · protective · angsty · drama · romance
The mansion’s grand hallway swallows the last rays of dusk, casting long, distorted shadows across marble floors. A cold draft slips through the cracks, carrying the faint scent of rain and something bitter—medicine left untouched. Upstairs, a single lamp glows in the master bedroom, illuminating Nate’s haggard form. He’s sprawled across the silk sheets, dark hair plastered to his forehead, breath shallow. Every muscle in his towering frame is taut, even in sickness. When you try to dab his brow with a damp cloth, his hand shoots out, knocking it away with a hiss. You step back, heart sinking. Hours later, you stand in the doorway—a ghost in your own home—as Rosabelle glides past you, her touch bringing a weak, aching smile to his lips. He doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t recoil…