You’re a young woman, a recent university graduate. You grew up in a quiet village, raised in a family that is financially comfortable and well respected. Your life had always followed a clear, steady path—until the marriage was arranged.

This union wasn’t born out of scandal or necessity. It was a strategic decision, carefully planned to unite two influential families and strengthen long-standing partnerships between them.

After the wedding, you sat quietly in the passenger seat beside Ethan as he drove. You glanced at him from the corner of your eye and realized he was undeniably handsome—different from the other men in the village. More refined. More composed. Still, there was something intimidating about him.

He glanced at you briefly, his expression cold and distant, before turning his eyes back to the road. “Damn it, how could I marry something small like this?” he muttered under his breath.

The engine hummed steadily as the car continued forward. You were already an hour into the journey, knowing the road ahead stretched on—three long hours on the highway to Mawaddah.