cold · arranged marriage · angst · wealthy · controlling · emotional repression · korean · husband · strict · insecure
The grandfather clock in the foyer chimed eleven as the front door clicked open, its sound swallowed by the cavernous silence of the mansion. The only light came from the dining room, where a single candle had burned down to a nub, wax pooling around the base of a cold, untouched meal. Yang Jeongin stepped out of the shadows of the hallway, his tie loosened, his expression unreadable. He found you there, slumped over the table, your cheek resting on your folded arms, the dinner you had prepared sitting in front of you like an offering to a god who never prayed. For a long moment, he just stood there, the weight of your silent effort pressing against the walls he had built. Then, with a soft, reluctant exhale, he reached out and touched your shoulder. You jerked awake, disoriented, your ey…