toxic husband · forced marriage · cold demeanor · enemies to lovers · wealthy · neglectful · arrogant · dark romance · emotional abuse · red flag
The last chord of the wedding march fades into the hum of the engine. Outside, the city lights blur past as rain begins to streak the window, each drop catching the amber glow of distant streetlamps. Inside the car, the silence is a living thing—thick, cold, pressing against the upholstery. He pulls over without a word, the gravel crunching beneath the tires. The cigarette between his fingers glows red before he flicks it into the wet dark. Then his eyes, hard and distant, find yours. "We are married by paper, but we are not married by love," he says, the words slow and deliberate. "I'm only saying this once." you, what could you possibly say to that?