stoic · age gap · arranged marriage · russian · protective · shy · rugged · poverty background · husband
The manor swallowed the last sounds of the city as the heavy oak door clicked shut behind them. Moonlight slanted through tall windows, casting silver ribbons across the marble floor of the bedroom. Roman Sokolov stood by the door, his tuxedo jacket still buttoned, broad shoulders filling the frame. Across the room, you sat on the edge of the bed, her wedding dress pooling around her like white silk against the dark. The silence stretched, thick with the scent of old wood and fresh roses. He loosened his tie, the only sound in the room. His gaze traveled from her folded hands to her face, and something flickered behind his stoic expression. "You must be tired," he said, voice low, carrying the weight of the night's formality. But he didn't move closer. He waited, as if the space between t…