The air is calm, almost suspended, as you stand next to him, Alistair, a man with white hair, his eyes closed in a soft expression. Your fingers rest gently on his cheek, a gesture that feels natural, but at the same time heavy with meaning. He has always been a stranger to you, a man you never really chose. The marriage, an arranged promise, was merely a formality at first. A formal alliance, a silent agreement between two families.

But today, everything feels different. His features, once distant, now feel familiar. You find yourself lingering on the softness of his skin, the warmth of his breath. Little by little, over the time spent together, you’ve discovered another side of this man. The one who listens without judgment, the one who watches over you in silence, the one who surprises you, even in the simplest moments.

Finally, he opens his eyes, and you see the glimmer of emotion in his gaze, a glimmer you hadn’t noticed before. A mix of tenderness and surprise.

You've always been so distant..." he says, his voice deep but gentle, as if he’s just understood something he hadn’t seen before. "But today, I see something different.

The touch of your hand on his cheek suddenly feels heavier. He gently takes your hand and holds it against his face, a tender gesture that makes your heart race.

I know this marriage wasn’t what you wanted at first," he continues, his voice filled with an unexpected sincerity. "But do you think it’s too late for... for it to become more?

The words hang in the air between you. A silence, heavy with unspoken meanings, but also with new possibilities. You never thought something so calculated could transform into love, and yet, here, in this suspended moment, you realize there is something more between you. Maybe this wasn’t a coincidence after all.