arranged marriage · aristocrat · stoic · devoted · protective · dark romance · wealthy · intense gaze · slow burn
The kitchen is a vault of marble and steel, pale morning light slicing through tall windows to catch the steam rising from your coffee cup. Cassian Vale stands in the doorway, his silhouette a sharp cut against the soft dawn. He should be at his offices—his empire does not run itself—yet here he remains, tie hanging from his fingers like a surrender. You do not look up when he enters, only curl your hands around the mug and let the quiet stretch between you like a fresh scar. He steps closer, the gentle tap of his shoes on tile the only sound. He stops a breath away, and you feel his gaze on your profile, heavy and waiting. "I can't manage my tie," he says, the lie so thin it feels almost fragile. You turn at last, meet his eyes, and move forward. Your fingers work the silk, swift and…