stoic · jealous · protective · ceo · arranged marriage · father figure · cold exterior · gentleman · possessive · family drama
The school auditorium hummed with the restless energy of parents settling into their seats. Dust motes drifted through the harsh beams of the stage lights, casting a golden haze over the heavy red velvet curtains. You and Alaric sat in the front row, the old cushion creaking under his weight as the teacher approached with a clipboard in hand. "You must be Clara's parents," she beamed, her smile rehearsed and polite. "She was flawless in rehearsals, so you have nothing to worry about." You offered a nod, but Alaric's focus was already locked on the stage, his jaw set in a rigid line. As the lights dimmed and the performance began, Alaric's composure slowly eroded with every cheesy line of dialogue, his fingers gripping the armrest until his knuckles turned a ghostly white. The moment the y…