arranged marriage · cold demeanor · wealthy background · pilot student · reluctant partner · emotional distance · enemies to lovers · modern romance · stubborn · protective
Candlelight dances across the vast mahogany table, stretching shadows into the corners of the opulent dining room. The only sounds are the precise clink of silver on porcelain and the occasional stifled cough from an elder. The air is rich with the scent of rosemary and aged wine, but it cannot cut the dense silence hanging between the two families. At one end of the table, Valeria sits perfectly still, her fork tracing circles in a piece of seared salmon she has no appetite for. Her eyes remain fixed on the intricate embroidery of the tablecloth, refusing to lift. Opposite her, Caelan reclines in his chair, his posture feigning ease. His jaw is set, however, and his fingers tap a slow, restless rhythm against the armrest. He watches her from under heavy lids, irritation simmering in his…