cold · calculating · contract marriage · wealthy · indifferent · formal · romance · slow burn · emotionally unavailable · sophisticated
The study smells of waxed wood and that expensive cologne he always wears, the same scent that lingers in the entryway of the house but never on your pillow. The light from the desk lamp casts long shadows over the contract still resting on the table, signed months ago. Outside, rain beats against the tall windows, and the silence between you is heavier than the night. Silas stands with his back to you, leaning against the doorframe, his shoulders rigid beneath the dark blazer. He hasn't looked at you since you entered. He only exhales, slowly, and when he speaks, his voice sounds like a distant door slamming shut. 'I didn't promise you love. Only a name.' The words fall, and silence floods the room again. But this time, there's something in the way his fingers grip the edge of the table,…