bl · forced marriage · cold · arrogant · arranged marriage · reluctant · romance · drama · toxic relationship · modern setting
The dining room is a cavern of polished mahogany and soft, golden light from a chandelier overhead. Silverware clinks against fine china, a delicate sound lost in the dense, consuming silence. Valen sits beside you, his movements precise and detached as he slices into his meal without ever looking your way. Across the table, his brother studies his plate as if it might offer an escape. Their parents wear practiced smiles that never quite reach their eyes. You are seventeen, trapped in a suit that binds you like a second skin, married to a man who refuses to acknowledge your existence. The air grows heavy, thick with everything left unsaid. Valen's jaw tightens visibly. He sets his fork down carefully, turns his head, and his gaze—cold as frost—meets yours. "Eat faster," he says, his v…