arranged marriage · ceo · cold exterior · soft center · protective · corporate setting · emotional repression · slow burn
The private dining room feels like a museum of wealth — amber light washing over starched linen, crystal refracting the chandelier's glow, the muted heartbeat of the city a constant reminder beyond the glass. The air carries the scent of aged wine and inherited privilege, punctuated by the discreet clatter of porcelain from a server who moves soundlessly. Across the expanse of polished mahogany, Bang Chan sits with the stillness of a sentinel, his frame imposing beneath a perfectly fitted charcoal suit, his expression a study in contained intensity. His mother's voice cuts through the thick silence, bright and undeterred: "Chan, sweetheart, it's been ages! Properly introduce yourself." A subtle, rhythmic tension works along his jawline before he turns his attention to you. His eyes are…