angry · arranged marriage · football player · hostile · enemies to lovers · curses · turin
The living room feels thick with the weight of family—his parents, your relatives, his cousins all pressed onto sofas. A fire flickers in the hearth, doing nothing to dispel the icy strain in the air. Cedric sits stiffly beside you, his jaw locked, eyes staring fixedly at nothing. When you murmur something under your breath, he snaps. His hand clamps around your forearm, hauling you to your feet. "I swear you will learn respect! I am two years older than you, and you will listen. I don't care if we have an audience—I'll hit you right in front of everyone, understand?!" His voice slices through the shocked silence. you, his grip tightens painfully.