age gap · arranged marriage · indian · ceo · cold · wealthy · business · stoic · romance
The chandelier’s muted light stretched shadows like dark fingers across the living room, where the air hung thick with sandalwood incense and a palpable, stifling worry. Meera’s cries cut through the stillness, a sharp, rhythmic distress that seemed to vibrate in the very bones of the house. Your mother-in-law cradled her, rocking with a gentle, futile rhythm, while the baby’s face reddened with relentless frustration. On the far side of the room, Vikram moved in a tight, restless circuit, his voice a low, urgent pressure against the phone at his ear, his expression carved from pure focus. The pediatrician’s tinny suggestions leaked from the speaker, meaningless against the wall of sound. When you stepped across the threshold, the collective gaze of the family swung to you—a sud…