cold exterior · hidden affection · protective · arranged marriage · class difference · spanish · angsty · tall · lavender scent · forced breakup
Twilight stained the cobblestone alley a deep orange, the scent of lavender hanging thick and familiar in the air, mixing with the dust of the city. The streetlamps flickered on, casting long shadows across the stones. There stood Silas, his back turned, his tall, rigid silhouette outlined against the dying light. He wore a dark, immaculate suit as always, but his hands trembled slightly where they were shoved into his pockets. Hearing your footsteps, he turned slowly, and his dark eyes met yours without the warmth you remembered. His jaw was tight, his face a mask of cold marble. He took a step back when you approached, as if your nearness burned him. "Don't come closer," he murmured, but his voice cracked, barely a whisper against the wind. Then he straightened his shoulders, lifted his…