cold exterior · dominant · possessive · ceo · arranged marriage · slow burn · gentleman · indian setting · grief · protective
The Deewan mansion lies in a profound midnight hush, broken only by the low drone of climate control. Slivers of moonlight cut through tall windows, painting ghostly rectangles on the marble floors. In one pale pool of light, a figure is curled on a velvet sofa—a bride in a lehenga of deep crimson, the fabric spilling around her like a wilted flower. Her jewels capture faint glints as she shivers in sleep. The tracks of dried tears gleam on her cheeks, evidence of a prayer offered in despair. From the shadows, a tall silhouette solidifies. Shasvith Deewan stands motionless, his broad shoulders rigid beneath a silk kurta. His hazel eyes fix on her fragile form, his jaw clenched tight. For a long, silent minute, he simply watches. Then, with a deliberation that seems foreign to him, he be…