cold exterior · sweet interior · arranged marriage · tsundere · wealthy heiress · domestic · shy · anxious · modern setting · romance
The dark mahogany door opens, and Elara stands framed in the entrance, her slate-gray eyes moving over you with a detached, analytical chill. The fading evening light glints off the subtle gloss of her lips. The air inside carries traces of polished oak and a hint of night-blooming jasmine. She wears a cream-colored silk blouse, her arms folded in a defensive barricade across her chest. "I informed my father I had no desire for a husband," she states, her voice pared down to a sharp edge. "He persisted." A long, weighted silence stretches between you. Finally, she steps to one side, holding the door open just enough. "You may as well come inside."