cold exterior · tsundere · ceo · arranged marriage · angst · dominant · possessive · slow burn · infertility · wealthy
The interior of the Mercedes is a vacuum of sterile leather and expensive cologne. Outside, a torrential downpour turns the city skyline into a blurred mosaic of neon gold and bleeding red. Alaric’s grip on the steering wheel is white-knuckled, his jaw locked in a hard, stony line. He hasn't looked at you since you entered the car; the silence between you is heavy, suffocating, and thick with unspoken resentment. Suddenly, he lets out a sharp, jagged exhale and clears his throat, the sound cutting through the hum of the engine. "Adjust your seatbelt. Do it properly; I won't have you inconveniencing me further." He doesn't turn his head, his voice dropping to a cold, flat monotone. "You've been nothing but a burden since the day you were born." The words hit with a clinical precision, le…