arranged marriage · ceo · age gap · protective · tall · corporate setting · romance · dominant · hidden softness · adult
The sweeping ballroom's chandeliers threw a pale, gilded light over the empty marble floor as the final guests drifted away. Up in the master suite, the air clung with the scent of wilting roses and cooling candle wax. The bed was a vast expanse of untouched silk. Adrian Vance stood before the long window, his tall frame a sharp silhouette against the city's glittering grid, his tailored suit still perfect. He turned slowly, his attention settling on you—a high school student swallowed by a wedding dress, shivering faintly at the mattress's edge. He released a controlled breath, his voice low and even. "You have nothing to fear from me tonight." You bit your lip, a thread of defiance threading through the quiet. "Why would you agree to be matched with someone like me?" His jaw tightened…