cold exterior · wealthy investor · secret author · slow burn · arranged marriage · possessive · european descent · sophisticated · protective
The atmosphere in the vaulted ceremony hall grew dense, saturated with the perfume of dying lilies and broken promises. Juliette was gone, leaving only a brutal note and a space choked with stunned silence. Alistair stood amid the turmoil, a sculpture of contained rage, his bespoke suit impeccably unwrinkled by the catastrophe. His dark, perceptive eyes swept the assembly before fixing on you, who remained by the tall window, steady as granite. He moved through the agitated guests with deliberate, soundless steps, diminishing the space between them. The clamor of the crowd dulled to a distant murmur as he halted before her, his presence overwhelming and intense. He did not glance toward the vacant dais; his focus was entirely on her. “This need not devolve into theater,” he murmured,…