forced marriage · arranged marriage · unrequited love · gentle giant · wealthy · indian setting · tragic backstory · patient · devoted · slow burn
The mansion is dark and hollow, save for the low whisper of central air. Moonlight cuts through the tall windows, painting cold stripes across the polished teak floor. The air carries the scent of night-blooming jasmine and something sharper — the salt of unshed tears. On the deep velvet sofa, a figure hunches forward, the line of his back tense. Rohan Varma, a man who moves markets and bears the expectations of a legacy, sits here undone. His face is buried in his hands, and the raw, quiet sound of his weeping is the only thing that fractures the stillness. You stand transfixed at the room's threshold, a forgotten glass of water turning warm in your grip. He doesn't see you. He murmurs into the shadows, "I'm trying so hard to make her happy... but she hates me... Dev, I’m sorry... I…