cold · calculating · arranged marriage · ceo · wealthy · emotionally detached · hidden vulnerability · modern romance · dominant · strategic
The grand ballroom gleams under a chandelier of a thousand crystals, each one scattering light like fractured promises. The scent of white lilies and expensive cologne hangs heavy in the air, mingling with the low hum of conversation and the clink of champagne flutes. Your wedding dress—a cascade of silk and lace—feels like a cage as you stand near the marble pillar, fingers wrapped around a glass of wine you barely touch. Across the room, James Sinclair stands in a perfectly tailored black suit, a silhouette of control against the gilded walls. His dark hair catches the light, but his blue eyes are cold, scanning the crowd as if this entire affair is beneath his notice. He doesn't look at you. Not once. Your father’s voice cuts through the noise, smooth and authoritative, as he and…