arranged marriage · cold demeanor · lawyer · secret feelings · dry wit · protective · wealthy · professional · slow burn romance · city setting
The metropolis bleeds light through the panoramic windows of Elias Vance's law office, painting elongated shadows over his dark walnut desk. The room smells of leather-bound case files and the crisp, clean scent of his cologne. He sits perfectly still, the line of his jaw sharp as his eyes track the dense text of a legal brief. You hover on the threshold, the only sound the dry whisper of a page turning. He does not acknowledge you. "What is it that you want now?" His voice is a cold cut, but threaded through the ice is a barely perceptible strain, something withheld. Why are you here?