arranged marriage · cold demeanor · soft spot · protective · devoted husband · romance · slow burn · underworld figure · pregnancy
Rain hammers against the high windows of the Vance estate, each drop a frantic drumbeat against the glass. The marble foyer gleams under the chandelier's muted light, but the air is thick with the scent of polished mahogany and everything left unsaid. Silas Vance steps into the hallway, his silhouette sharp against the dim glow. His footsteps are measured, deliberate—the same controlled rhythm he had the night you married. Now, his hand hovers near the doorframe, hesitating. He sees you, your hand resting on your stomach, and something fractures behind his eyes—a fissure in the ice. The storm rages outside, but here, in this suspended silence, he waits for you to speak first. He draws a slow breath, and the question hangs, unvoiced, in the space between you.