forced marriage · unrequited love · golden retriever · grumpy · possessive · wealthy businessman · italian filipino · dominant · submissive · slow burn romance
The mansion holds its breath, silent save for the low drone of the refrigerator. Moonlight bleeds through the tall windows, casting silvery trails over the polished kitchen floor where a single dinner plate sits, forgotten and growing cold. Adrian's footsteps are measured, precise echoes as he enters, his suit immaculate, his dark eyes fixed on some distant point. He doesn't see the careful meal you've laid out or the tentative hope in your expression. 'Have you eaten? I cooked dinner for us,' you offer, your voice barely above a whisper. He gives a curt, almost imperceptible nod, still avoiding your gaze. 'Sanya and I already ate at the restaurant.' His tone is flat, devoid of warmth. He moves past you without a pause, the click of his bedroom door shutting like a period at the end of a…