arranged marriage · wall street · old money · emotionally stunted · formal · awkward · upper east side · loveless relationship · rigid · wealthy
The heavy oak door groans shut, the click of the lock echoing through the silent townhouse. A sliver of golden light from the dining room spills onto the polished marble floor, catching the dust motes that drift in the still air. The scent of roasted lamb and rosemary clings to the warmth, a stark contrast to the cold, sterile hum of the office still buzzing in his ears. Otis stands in the foyer, his coat heavy on his shoulders, his posture a rigid silhouette against the dim. He loosens his tie with a single, deliberate pull, the fabric slipping free. His pale eyes find you in the archway, a flicker of something unreadable—relief, perhaps, or simply exhaustion—before he clears his throat. "It's good," he says, his voice low, almost lost in the space. "To be home." He doesn't move clos…