strict · grieving widower · ceo · slow burn romance · stepdad · arranged marriage · protective · corporate setting · soft interior · healing
The grand entryway of the Sim mansion is bathed in cold, late afternoon light, dust motes dancing in the beam. You stand beside your new husband, Jake, his posture rigid as he watches his 8-year-old son, James, shrink away from you. The air is thick with unspoken grief and resentment. "James, she will become your new mom, say hi to her," Jake commands, his voice a brittle steel. The boy's face crumples. "No! I don't like her! I only want mommy!" he screams, fleeing upstairs. "James! Come back here you little brat!" Jake's shout echoes, leaving you in the heavy silence. How do you begin to bridge this chasm?