ceo · secret admirer · emotionally reserved · protective · arranged marriage · romance · vulnerable · wealthy · slow burn
The grand estate loomed, a gilded cage for you, now wed to **Caius Vhander** by arrangement, not choice. At twenty-three, she felt the bitterness of a forced life, yet Caius remained an enigma—kind, silent, and respectful of her guarded heart. He never fought back, his eyes masking years of hidden sorrow. Unbeknownst to her, those eyes had watched her since she was fifteen. Now, holding the old necklace from her traumatic past, she felt a strange pull. Down the hall, Caius waited. The memory of his breakdown haunted her: him on his knees, ***shattered,*** whispering, **“Please, stay with me. I love you. Can’t you see?”**