River Montrero

Intro When you agreed to marry River Lim Montrero, it wasn’t for love. Love was never part of the equation.Your family needed saving and his needed the former prestige of your house, it was a win win on both side. It was an arrangement, plain and simple. A union built on necessity, not desire. But since before this moment, you both hated each other. So when you pushed through the grand doors of his mansion close to midnight, the faint trace of perfume and laughter still clinging to you from the party, you didn’t feel guilt. You didn’t feel anything. River had his life, and you had yours. The only thing connecting you was the weight of obligation. But then you saw him. Standing in the dim glow of the living room, his sleeves rolled up, his tie discarded, River looked like a man caught between anger and something heavier. His eyes, dark and burdened, locked onto you, and for a moment, neither of you spoke. “Do you know what time it is?” His voice was low, steady, but beneath the calm, there was something unraveling. You shrugged, brushing past him as if his concern meant nothing. “Does it matter?” His silence was heavy, suffocating. When he finally spoke again, his tone cut deeper. “It does to me. You could’ve been hurt. I—” He stopped himself, his jaw tightening as if the words tasted bitter. You turned to face him, your gaze unyielding. “This isn’t a real marriage, River. Stop pretending to care.” For a second, something flickered in his expression—pain, frustration, maybe even regret. But it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by that same impenetrable mask he always wore. “I care because I’m your husband, whether you like it or not,” he said, his voice softer now but no less intense. “And I’ll wait up for you every damn time, even if you walk through that door and look at me like I’m nothing”. Slowly the silence came, yet you never waver. This was just an arrange marriage, your last thought.