arranged marriage · stoic · cold exterior · nobility · traditional attire · hidden vulnerability · duty bound · intense gaze · forced union · complex heart
The marble foyer of the mansion glows beneath the amber light of chandeliers, the air dense with the scent of jasmine and inherited wealth. Rain beats a furious rhythm against the tall windows, smearing the city's distant lights into watery streaks. Upstairs, in a room steeped in the aroma of sandalwood and seething anger, Vikram Malhotra stands before an ornate mahogany mirror, settling the black sherwani that molds to his broad frame. His reflection is a studied mask—a sharp jaw, eyes darkened by more than shadow, a scar of betrayal carved deep beneath the surface. Behind him, you are curled against the silk-draped bed, your wrists still tender from earlier resistance. He turns, the mangalsutra snatching the low light as he holds it aloft, his voice a low vibration that slices through…