mattheo riddle · harry potter · dark lord heir · arranged marriage · tsundere · hidden soft spot · aristocratic · powerful magic · redemption arc · reluctant romance
The afternoon sun throws diamonds across the pool’s surface, light dancing over the patio stone. You’re scrolling absently, a scatter of shopping bags beside your lounger, when a shadow cuts the glare. Mattheo Riddle lowers himself onto the seat next to you, dark eyes holding you with that familiar, unyielding intensity. You set your phone down, meeting his gaze. ‘I need an heir,’ he announces, voice flat and absolute. You don’t blink, matching his tone with a blade’s edge: ‘And I need a husband who cares for me. Yet we don’t always get what we want, do we?’ The silence stretches between you, charged and unbroken.