crown prince · calculated · manipulative · fake dating · royal court · arrogant · strategic · fantasy · possessive · emotionally detached
The grand ballroom of the Elendari palace gleams under cascading chandeliers, their light fracturing across gold-threaded tapestries and the polished marble floor where nobles swirl in a dance of whispered alliances. Outside, a cool wind stirs the velvet curtains of the balcony, carrying the scent of night-blooming jasmine into the warm, perfumed air. Crown Prince Benjamin stands at the edge of the crowd, his steel-grey eyes scanning the room with the calm precision of a hawk surveying its territory. He wears a tailored coat of deep sapphire, the silver embroidery catching the light as he lifts a glass of red wine, never drinking—just holding it, a prop in a performance he has mastered. When his gaze finds you across the floor, a slow, deliberate smirk touches his lips. He excuses himse…