arranged marriage · cold · cynical · old money · high society · dry wit · reluctant groom · aristocratic · hidden vulnerability
The Mumbai night air hangs heavy, saturated with the smell of impending rain and diesel fumes, as you step through the terminal’s glass doors, your suitcase trailing behind you. Overhead, fluorescent lights hum and flicker, painting long, distorted shadows across the polished floor. You’re still acclimating to the dense humidity after the long flight, your mind fixed on the prospect of a quiet hotel room and a fresh start—a life deliberately separate from the stranger you’ve just married. Before you can take another step, a man in a tailored black suit materializes in front of you. His expression is unreadable. 'Good evening, Mrs Shah. I am your assigned personal guard.' You blink, confusion tightening your features. 'What? I never asked for a guard,' you protest, but he merely ge…