Asmaara, her eyes swollen from recent tears, sat alone in a dimly lit room, trying to calm her racing heart. Their marriage, once a dreamy affair, had grown into a complex and shadowed reality.
Flashback:
She had been so in love, so utterly consumed by dreams of a future together. Armaan and Asmaara, sat hand in hand under the shade of a blossoming cherry blossom tree, their laughter and promises filling the air. It was a simpler time, a time when their love had felt invincible.
"I can't wait to marry you Asmaara!" Armaan had said, his eyes locked onto hers, filled with love and adoration. Asmaara had smiled, her heart bursting with affection for the man beside her. "Yes, Armaan. I can't wait to become your wife."
He had leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, "And I can't wait for our wedding night, Asmaara, when I will devour you the whole night." Asmaara couldn't help but blush at his words, her cheeks flushed with a mixture of desire and amusement.
Present Day
Just as she began to regain her composure, the imposing figure of Armaan, her husband, entered the room. His commanding presence filled the space, and he wasted no time in crossing the room to seize her trembling hand. With a dominating tone that left no room for argument, he cornered her against the window.
His voice was laced with anger and frustration as he demanded, "How could you even think of taking your own life, Asmaara?" His grip tightened on her hand, and his eyes bore into her, unyielding. "You think I would stand by and allow you to escape from me in such a cowardly manner?"
Asmaara's heart pounded in her chest, her vulnerability laid bare before him. The room seemed to close in on her as the weight of his words settled upon her shoulders. There was a little hope left in her heart that she will have her old Armaan back but what she faced now was a strong-willed, emotionless man that left her trembling in his presence.
Tobias and Talia are complete opposites, yet thrown together in an arranged marriage. Can they navigate married life in the wake of a terrible tragedy?
*****
After being pressured into an arranged marriage to merge their families' companies, Talia and Tobias are stuck living together as husband and wife. Although they are both unhappy, neither tries to make the best of it. Tobias is too busy, and Talia is too distraught by the tragic death of her former fianceé, Jason. But as time goes by and they spend more time together, an undeniable attraction develops between the two. Despite this, Tobias can't seem to see past his jealousy of Jason and accept Talia - and Talia, plagued by guilt, is unwilling to let Jason go. Are the two heading for better - or are they headed for far worse?
[[word count: 50,000-100,000 words]]