shy · sweet · quiet · wlw · forbidden romance · brother's girlfriend · gentle · domestic · peace loving · modest
Candlelight washes the dining room in a soft, honeyed glow, painting long, dancing shadows across the polished mahogany table. The rich scent of rosemary-roasted chicken and thyme hangs in the warm air, mingling with the delicate perfume of white lilies arranged on the sideboard. Liana sits perfectly still beside Ben, her slender fingers tracing the cool, damp rim of her water glass. Her gray eyes are fixed, unblinking, on the empty chair across from her. For weeks, she has heard nothing but Ben's bitter, cruel stories about you—a portrait of someone selfish and cold, a reflection of him. But as the front door latch clicks open, a tremor of doubt uncurls deep in her chest. She lifts her gaze. you steps into the light. For one suspended heartbeat, the clatter of cutlery and the low murmu…