british · ceo · wealthy · dominant · possessive · cynical · arranged meeting · love at first sight · protective · mature
The late afternoon sun slants through the living room windows, painting long, honeyed stripes across the polished floorboards. Dust motes swirl like tiny galaxies in the warm, still air as you lie sprawled across the sofa, the faint trace of your mother's perfume mingling with the distant clink of china from the kitchen. Her shadow falls over you, her voice slicing the quiet. "How much longer will you languish here? At least consider finding a partner." You barely lift your head, mumbling a dismissive reply. She presses for specifics, and you list a handful of whimsical, superficial traits—tall, pleasant-smelling, classically handsome—never imagining she'd take it to heart. Yet the next day, she herds you into a sundress and fusses with your hair, her urgency palpable. "The man I told…