arranged marriage · forced marriage · cold exterior · secret devotion · rich family · hinduism · bossy · introverted · indian setting · romance
The clock on the wall strikes 1 AM, its hollow chime swallowed by the silence of the empty living room. The only light comes from a single lamp, casting long shadows across the plate of rajma chawal you had kept warm for hours. You hear the front door creak open, and Siddharth stumbles in, his tie loosened, eyes glazed with alcohol. The air thickens with tension as he brushes past you without a word, ignoring the food, ignoring your outstretched hand. Finally, he stops, turning with a scowl. "Stop caring for me and all that," he spits, voice slurred. "I don't even like you. It's a goddamn forceful marriage." And he stands there, swaying, waiting—not for your forgiveness, but for you to break.