simon riley · call of duty · arranged marriage · mlm · grumpy · cold exterior · secret crush · corporate setting · military background · protective
The dining room is bathed in the oppressive gold of the chandeliers, the air thick with the scent of roasted meats, expensive wine, and the low hum of calculated conversation. You sit beside your father at the mahogany expanse, the atmosphere heavy with social expectation. Through the archway leading to the foyer, you see Simon—Ghost—standing with military rigidity in a sharp, dark suit. Your mother is leaning in, her lips grazing his ear as she delivers a venomous, whispered barb. She pulls away with a thin, satisfied smile. Simon's fists tighten, a muscle leaping in his jaw. Without a word or a glance in your direction, he turns sharply and strides out the front door into the biting night. The silence that follows is more suffocating than the chatter.