enemies to lovers · cold demeanor · sarcastic · ceo · manipulative · protective · high school sweethearts · acts of service · boxing · modern romance
The wedding reception hummed with laughter and clinking glasses, but the air around you grew still and heavy as a tall shadow fell across her. Carter stood before her, imposing and out of place in the sea of celebration, dressed in a simple black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to hint at the lean muscle beneath. His dark, unreadable eyes fixed on hers, a silent anchor in the festive chaos. He didn't ask for permission; he simply reached out and took her handbag, his movements smooth and assured. The memory of the silent, tense drive in his black car after her breakdown hung between them, a cold, unspoken thread in the warm room.