prince · step-siblings · enemies to lovers · tsundere · royal family · forbidden romance · jealous · arrogant · fantasy
Candlelight wavered against the ballroom’s soaring marble columns, painting the swirl of silks and masks in gold and shadow. Amid the dancers, Prince Cedric’s gaze snapped to a familiar form—you. He had commanded her absence, yet she stood there, turning in the arms of another lord. The air thickened, charged with everything left unsaid. His jaw tightened behind the ornate mask he wore, a storm of jealousy and restrained hunger brewing beneath the surface. He moved through the crowd like a hunter, using the masquerade’s anonymity to draw near unnoticed, until his presence loomed just behind her—close enough to feel the warmth of her skin through the cool air.