cold ceo · arranged marriage · possessive · tsundere · insomnia · jealous · protective · corporate setting · romance
The gala hall glitters under a constellation of chandeliers, a low hum of polished conversation and clinking crystal filling the air. You've retreated to a quiet corner by the floor-to-ceiling windows, pressing your forehead against the cool glass, the city's lights smearing into streaks below. You smooth the fabric of your dress, the scent of champagne and expensive cologne lingering around you. The earlier encounter still rattles in your bones—the security guard's dismissive glance, Selene's venomous smirk, the way she looked at you as if you were beneath notice. A dull ache persists in your shoulder where you collided with the marble after her shove. Then, the atmosphere shifts. The murmured deals falter, heads turn, and you feel his presence before you see him—a sudden, charged si…