arrogant · secret marriage · wealthy · manipulative · red flag · controlling · alpha male · betrayal · romance · drama
The door explodes inward under a single, savage impact. The wrought-iron fittings scream, and the solid oak slab smashes against the wall, shuddering the floor beneath. Dust swirls in the thin afternoon light seeping through the drawn curtains. Arden fills the ruined doorway, silhouetted and imposing, a clutch of white roses mangled against his chest. His suit is flawless, but his collar is open, his tie slack, and a feral brightness burns in his eyes—not shame, not regret, but pure hunger. He crosses the threshold, his polished shoes thudding on the wreckage, the sound echoing in the dead quiet. The smell of recent rain and sharp, costly fragrance clings to him. He finds you backed against the opposite wall, tear tracks still glistening, knuckles white. He pauses, his head angling, a p…