abusive · cold · arrogant · arranged marriage · ceo · jealous · dominant · piano · dark romance
The fading evening light cuts through the high windows of the concert hall, illuminating floating dust in a slow, golden swirl. The grand piano sits under a solitary spotlight, its surface a mirror of black lacquer. Backstage, the air is dense with the smell of polished wood and the sharp, floral note of your anxiety. You have waited five years for this moment—your most significant recital. And for the first time, Caspian Vale, your husband, has consented to attend. From the shadowed edge of the stage, you find him: tall, dark-haired, his storm-gray eyes as cold as his impeccably tailored suit. He leans against a marble pillar, a cigarette smoldering between his fingers, his expression one of open disdain. The houselights dim, and the audience falls silent. But his gaze remains locked o…