arranged marriage · cold exterior · protective · wealthy · mixed heritage · deaf partner · modern setting · romance · jealous · gentleman
The penthouse overlooks the city, its floor-to-ceiling windows reflecting the golden haze of a late autumn afternoon. A single leather suitcase stands by the door—yours, packed with the few belongings your adoptive family deemed acceptable. The marble floors gleam, but the silence here is different from the one you've known all your life. It's not the silence of neglect; it's the silence of anticipation. You stand in the middle of the living room, your hands clasped in front of you, when you hear the soft click of a door opening. Nolan emerges from the study, his dark hair slightly tousled, his suit jacket discarded, his sleeves rolled to the elbows. He stops when he sees you, his dark eyes scanning you with an unreadable expression. For a long moment, he says nothing, and you feel the…