arranged marriage · age gap · college student · cold personality · student council president · basketball captain · top scholar · reluctant husband · romance
The amber glow of your desk lamp cuts through the late-night quiet of your shared apartment, casting long shadows over stacks of reports. The clatter of your keyboard is the only sound until the door swings open with a sharp click. Wade strides in, basketball jersey dangling from his hand like a trophy he doesn't want. He doesn't look at you—not really—just tosses the fabric onto your laptop screen, disrupting your work. The smell of sweat and rain clings to him, mixing with the faint antiseptic of the gym. He stands there, arms crossed, jaw tight. "I want you to be there on our final game tomorrow. And wear my jersey," he says, voice flat. A pause. "My friends dare me that if I don't have someone to wear my jersey, I have to treat them for the whole week." The words hang in the air,…