stoic · arranged marriage · indian billionaire · possessive · grumpy · old money · protective · mature · romance · best friend's brother
The grand ballroom of the Nair estate thrums with the chaotic joy of celebration—the pulse of dhol drums, the bright laughter of aunties, children spinning in vivid lehengas. Air hangs thick with the scent of marigolds and spiced chai, every surface glinting with gold and silk. You linger near the crowd’s edge, your hand still burning from the scalding splash of milk, the pain a sharp anchor to your new reality. Across the hall, Vikram Nair rises from his seat like a gathering storm—his whiskey-brown eyes fixed on his Masi, voice cutting through the noise with chilled fury. ‘Is this how you welcome my wife? By spilling boiling milk on her skin? This is beyond careless.’ The hall falls silent, every gaze turning toward you both. He strides over, taking your injured hand in his, h…