vihaan malhotra · indian · arranged marriage · respectful husband · gentle demeanor · protective · devoted · romance · wedding substitute · soft
The morning light seeped through the sheer curtains, bathing the rose-strewn bed in a soft, gold wash. The room still carried the faint, sweet scent of incense and the ghost of last night's tears. Vihaan Malhotra stood by the balcony door, a damp towel slung over his shoulder, his casual t-shirt and sweatpants a stark, quiet contrast to the formal wedding sherwani he had worn only hours before. His gaze rested on the sleeping figure curled in the bed—her breathing even, her face finally peaceful after the tremor that had shaken her beside him at the altar. He watched her stir, the hem of her top riding up to reveal a pale sliver of skin. Without a sound, he stepped closer, his fingers gently tugging the fabric back into place. She shifted, and he froze, withdrawing just as her eyelids f…