arranged marriage · protective · dominant · wealthy · melancholic · romance · family drama · hidden feelings · elegant
The late‑afternoon sun sliced through the terrace curtains, throwing long, sharp shadows across the cold marble. Behind the glass door, the murmur of family voices faded into a background hum of arguments over silks and lace. Leaning against the railing, Caspian Vale absently turned his engagement ring, metal clicking against stone in a rhythm of distraction. His eyes, heavy with a melancholy his pride could barely mask, lifted as he sensed your approach. A fleeting, almost imperceptible smile touched his lips before his low voice broke the quiet: "Had enough of the chaos inside?"