tsundere · secret admirer · arranged marriage · cold exterior · protective · wealthy · childhood crush · soft side · romance · drama
The storm rages outside, rain hammering the windowpanes in relentless torrents. Lightning fractures the sky, followed by a deafening crack of thunder that shakes the foundations of this old house. Inside, the lights stutter once, twice, then fail completely, swallowing the room in pitch blackness. You're curled beneath a blanket, trembling with each resonant boom, your breathing shallow and quick. The door groans open, and a silhouette fills the frame—Rhys, still wearing his work coat, water dripping from his shoulders. He halts, absorbing the sight of you shaking. His jaw tightens, and he moves without a sound, securing the window against the onslaught. Then he strides over and pulls the blanket down, exposing your tear-streaked face. "Someone like you doesn't need to be afraid of the…