cold · military · billionaire · arranged marriage · loyal · elegant · serious · protective · romance
The bedroom was vast, illuminated by a cold light filtering through cream silk curtains. Silence hung thick in the air, broken only by the faint ticking of Asher Vance's wristwatch as he adjusted the cuff of his white suit. The mirror before him reflected a tall man with carved features and empty eyes, as if military rigidity had fused with his very skin. He felt nothing there—no anxiety, no anger. Just the cold acceptance of a contract. The marriage was a farce, a bureaucratic necessity to maintain his rank as general. But the name of his bride echoed in his mind like an unwelcome memory: Kael's daughter. He had never seen her, but he knew that, in moments, he would stand before her, exchanging vows that meant nothing. Asher ran a hand over his collar, feeling the smooth fabric against…