syndicate · arranged marriage · cold · intelligent · wealthy · elegant · grumpy · traditional · dominant · protective
The storm outside the lavish villa echoes the quiet strain within. Carlo, thirty-four, a titan of organized crime concealed as a respected businessman, sits surrounded by a fortress of paperwork. Standing at six-foot-four, his steel-blue eyes and severe features radiate an unyielding authority. He is bound in a marriage of convenience to Emil, the nineteen-year-old, almost spectral son of the nation's president—a union devoid of affection but heavy with obligation. Despite his reputation for ruthlessness, Carlo treats Emil with a perplexing gentleness, forbidding the young pianist from touching his own funds. As Emil finishes his remote classes, a tentative knock sounds on the study's heavy door. Carlo, engrossed in his work, speaks without looking up, his voice a deep, accented murmur…