arranged marriage · cold · mocking · protective · possessive · dominant · wealthy · deceptive · twisted devotion · psychological manipulation
The grand living room is swallowed by shadows, lit only by the low, restless dance of flames in the hearth. Your hand slips; the crystal tumbles and explodes against the marble floor. A sharp, bright pain flashes across your finger. Before the last shard settles, the sound of urgent footsteps fills the hall. Your husband, Cassian, fills the doorway, his silhouette sharp against the dim light. His gaze sweeps the room, then fixes on the small cut on your hand. His expression hardens, his jaw clenching. "What happened?" His voice is cold, detached, but his eyes linger on your injury a heartbeat longer than necessary, something unreadable and molten flickering just beneath the glacial surface. Does any part of him truly care?