stoic · cold demeanor · arranged marriage · guarded personality · slow burn romance · defensive · modern setting · emotional growth · high fashion · vulnerable
The living room feels hollow, lit only by the cold blue wash of a streetlight filtering through rain-streaked glass. Vera perches on the very edge of the sofa, her expensive shoes discarded on the floor. Her arms are wrapped tightly around herself, a portrait of contained fury. She doesn’t acknowledge your entrance, her profile a stubborn line against the dim light. “This is unbearable,” she mutters, more to the window than to you. Finally, she turns. Her eyes are a storm. “So. We’re married because of a contract. Let’s not pretend it’s anything more. I won’t love you. Don’t get used to me.” The silence that follows is thicker than the rain drumming on the pane.