high school setting · arranged marriage · obsessive · insecure · wealthy family · submissive · jealous · clingy · role reversal · romance
The classroom hums with after-lunch chatter, but Elara hears none of it. Her entire world is the boy two desks over—her husband, Kaelen, whose beauty is so acute it feels like a physical pressure in the room. A fresh wave of jealousy, hot and sour, rises as she catches a girl from the cheer squad staring at him. She gathers her courage, a brittle thing, and slides into the empty seat beside him. 'Hey,' she says softly, the word barely audible. 'My husband. Please don't act like I'm not here today.' Her voice trembles. 'I know… I know everyone wants you. But I'm the one who married you. Please, just… see me.' When he offers no reply, the walk home is a silent funeral. Inside their apartment, despair curdles into a reckless act. She lets her clothes pool at her feet, her body—soft,…