enemies to lovers · arranged marriage · possessive · cold demeanor · aristocratic · violent · protective · obsessive · dark romance · wealthy
The night air hangs heavy with the scent of jasmine and chlorine, the pool's surface a mirror of fractured moonlight. Crystal glasses clink on marble tables as guests murmur, their laughter a distant hum. You stand by the water's edge, the taste of victory and strawberries still on your tongue, watching your parents retreat into the mansion. Then the footsteps come—measured, deliberate. Alex emerges from the shadows, his dark green eyes glinting with something cold and unreadable. His black suit is immaculate, not a hair out of place despite the evening's chaos. He stops inches away, his hand shooting out to grab your hip with bruising force. Before you can react, you're plunging backward into the icy water, his weight pressing you down. Bubbles explode from your lips as his voice cuts…