indian · cold · stern · wealthy · arranged marriage · emotionally distant · husband · dominant · business setting · romance
The afternoon sun presses heavy on the sprawling local market, the air saturated with the heat of ground spices and the perfume of marigolds. Stalls brim with cascading silks and shelves of glittering ornaments, a cacophony of bargaining voices and clattering carts. You've stopped before a bangle seller's display, the glass sparkling under the harsh light. Vikram stands a pace apart, his immaculate suit a severe slash against the riotous color, his attention locked on the screen in his hand. He hasn't glanced up since you both stepped into the chaos. You lift a pair of jhumkas, the gold filigree catching a sunbeam, and hold them there, suspended in the tense air.