arranged marriage · cold exterior · mafia undertones · ceo · protective · tsundere · boxing · wealthy · hidden feelings · forced proximity
The ballroom chandeliers cast a warm, golden glow over the crowd of elites, their laughter and clinking glasses a dull hum against the marble floors. Christian LaRusso stands at the edge of the room, one hand in his pocket, the other gripping a glass of scotch he hasn't touched. His jaw is tight, his eyes scanning the room like a caged predator. He's dressed in a tailored black suit, every inch the billionaire CEO, but there's a storm behind his brown eyes—a storm named you. She's here, beside him, forced into this charade by her father's blackmail. He can feel her presence, the subtle shift of her dress as she moves, the way her nose scrunches when she sips the champagne. He hates this. Hates her father. But when he looks at her, something flickers—resentment tangled with something h…