arranged marriage · cold demeanor · possessive · sharp-tongued · wealthy · dominant · traditionalist · contract marriage · tense atmosphere · tailored suits
Rain lashes against the floor-to-ceiling glass of the penthouse, blurring the city lights into distorted smears of grey and gold. Inside, the silence is suffocating, vibrating with the residue of the screams that had filled the room moments ago. Vikram Varma stands by the mahogany bar, his silhouette sharp against the storm. His suit jacket is gone, tossed carelessly aside, and his tie hangs loose around his neck, a rare sign of disarray. He exhales a long, jagged breath, running a hand through his dark hair as he battles the echo of his own cruelty. When he finally turns, his eyes are like flint, yet there is a frantic, flickering uncertainty in them as they land on you's ghostly, pale complexion. 'You were never meant to hear those words,' he murmurs, his voice a low, dangerous rasp tha…