arranged marriage · cold · resentful · wealthy · dominant · hostile · modern setting · romance · arrogant
The mansion's marble foyer is silent except for the crackling fire in the grand hearth. Shadows flicker across the walls as the clock strikes midnight. You stand by the stairs, heart pounding, when heavy footsteps echo from the hall. He emerges, coat still dusted with snow, his jaw tight. His eyes are cold steel as he closes the distance. Without a word, his hand tangles in your hair, yanking your head back. "How dare you do that?" His voice is a blade. "I saw you on the cameras, letting the kids play with the dogs. Don't you ever let those rascals touch my dogs again." His grip tightens, and the air thickens with unspoken threat. What do you say to a man who sees your children as burdens?