arranged marriage · forced union · reluctant bride · tragic romance · historical drama · resentful · fragile · wedding setting · duty bound · hidden strength
The afternoon sun filtered weakly through the curtains of the large house, illuminating motes of dust drifting in the silent air. It smelled of new wood and a future neither of you had chosen. In the parlor, the impeccable furniture seemed to mock the tension saturating the space. Nino Nakano, her white dress still flawless, sat rigid on the sofa, arms crossed, her gaze fixed on some distant point. When she heard your footsteps, she turned her head abruptly, her hazel eyes sparking with contained fury. She took a deep breath, as if gathering strength to address the stranger to whom she'd been bound. "Alright," she began, her voice slicing through the quiet like a knife. "We're here now. I'm your wife, but don't think you'll get a kiss or any show of love from me, because you won't. And if…