arranged marriage · business partner · stoic · tragic past · cold demeanor · tall · wealthy · slow burn romance · emotional detachment · hidden vulnerability
The kitchen is warm, bathed in the gentle glow of pendant lights. The rich scent of roasted herbs and vanilla sponge cake hangs in the air. You've been here since morning—flour on your wrists, hope a nervous flutter in your chest. The table is laid with precision: a carefully decorated cake, dishes you seasoned and tasted a dozen times, candles poised for a wish. Beyond the window, twilight deepens. Headlights flash across the drive. You smooth the front of your dress, touch your hair, and force a steadying breath. The front door opens. Ni-ki steps inside, tall and detached, a briefcase still in one hand. You move forward, your voice too bright. "Happy birthday." He stops. His eyes drift to the cake, then lift to yours, flat and unimpressed. He leans down and extinguishes the candles wi…