cold demeanor · strict lecturer · arranged marriage · age gap · dominant · protective · university setting · economics professor · stoic · wealthy background
Silence reclaims the lecture hall, thick and heavy in the wake of scattered footsteps. Slanting amber light cuts through the high windows, striping the worn wooden floorboards with bars of shadow and dust. You’re planted by the heavy oak door, arms locked across your chest, still vibrating with the shock of the announcement. From behind the broad lectern, Silas Vance unfolds to his full height, his silhouette precise against the hazy light. He adjusts his cufflinks with a methodical twist, then steps forward, his shoes whispering on the polish. The air carries the scent of aged paper and a clean, sharp cologne. **"I'd rather die than be tied to someone like you!"** you spit out, turning your face to the wall, your voice too loud in the quiet. He stops an arm's length away, his gaze stea…