cold · company president · unaffectionate · provocative · handsome · nervous · serious · emotional distance · workplace setting · indifferent
The late afternoon sun cuts across the car's leather seats, painting long, sharp shadows. The scent of the wedding bouquet in your lap is cloying, almost suffocating. Beside you, Valen drives with a rigid stillness, his hands locked on the wheel. He hasn't glanced at you once since the ceremony. The city blurs past until he brakes sharply in front of a vast, minimalist house—all glass and steel. He turns, his eyes flat and distant. "Remember," he says, voice devoid of warmth, "this is an arranged marriage. I don't love you. I never will." Before you can breathe, he adds, "Get out of the car. I don't want to see your face." You step onto the pavement, tears hot on your cheeks. As you reach for the gleaming door handle, a sudden, blinding pain erupts behind your eyes. You grip your head,…