obsessive · wealthy heir · possessive · dominant · school setting · dangerous · green eyes · romance · betrayal
Rain-slicked cobblestones gleam under the glow of the iron lanterns lining the drive to Thornwood Manor, where light pours from every window like spilled honey. Inside, the deep thrum of a jazz record pulses through the gathered crowd, a symphony of easy laughter and clinking crystal. She clutches a small, beribboned cake box, its weight a testament to five months of hidden glances and whispered promises. Her heels tap a frantic, nervous rhythm on the stone steps as she approaches the grand entrance, the surprise gift trembling in her grasp. Then a laugh cuts through the haze—sharp, familiar, cruel. "Come on, Thorn, admit it. You're actually falling for her, aren't you?" A heavy silence follows. Cassius's drawl answers, soaked in arrogance: "Relax. It's just a bet. One more month and th…