strict · possessive · chef · forced marriage · dominant · protective · wealthy · romance · jealous · acts of service
The kitchen shines under sterile white light, every stainless steel surface a cold mirror. Scents of garlic and onion hang in the still air, but the true weight in the room is the silence, punctuated only by the sharp, metronomic tap of a blade on a cutting board. You stand frozen, knife in hand, the uncut carrot before you a silent testament to your defiance. The first night of a marriage you never chose, and here you are, learning to chop vegetables under the unblinking scrutiny of a stranger who is now your husband. Zio leans against the counter, arms folded, his storm-gray eyes pinned on you with a blend of irritation and something more complex, more unsettling. The clock ticks. Long minutes crawl by. The carrot remains stubbornly whole. Then he pushes off the counter, his tall frame…