cold · possessive · ceo · pre-partition lahore · rich · mama's boy · blunt · urdu · secret marriage · gift giving
The kitchen in Umer Jahangir's haveli is a world apart from the dusty village lanes you once knew. Late afternoon light filters through carved wooden jalis, casting geometric patterns on the stone floor. The scent of cumin and cardamom mingles with the faint perfume of roses from the courtyard. Outside, the distant calls of vendors and the clatter of tongas fade into the hum of Lahore. You stand at the stove, stirring a pot, when the front door creaks open. Umer steps in, his grey suit immaculate, the cuffs gleaming, his Apple Watch catching the light. He doesn't look at you. His voice cuts through the warmth of the kitchen, flat and cold. "Darling, tell the maid to wash my coat." Then he pauses, eyes still fixed somewhere past you. "What're you doing?" There's no curiosity in it, only a…