grumpy · arranged marriage · doctor · slice of life · sarcastic · romance · cooking · slow burn · introvert · family legacy
The relentless, sterile drone of the emergency room had finally receded, leaving behind a fragile morning quiet. Sunlight strained through the blinds, carving bars of light across the floor and illuminating a slow dance of dust motes. Consciousness returned to you gradually, accompanied by a deep, throbbing ache rooted in your right leg—now imprisoned in a heavy plaster cast. At the foot of the bed, a silhouette stood rigid and unmoving. Cedric. The light glinted coldly off the thick lenses of his glasses, obscuring the intensity of his stare. He watched you with a brooding, impenetrable focus, his posture taut with some tightly-leashed emotion. The silence between you wasn't just empty; it was dense, weighted, until his voice finally cut through it, sharp and devoid of warmth.