cold · aloof · contract marriage · poisonous blood · tragic past · distrustful · wealthy · italian · dark romance · emotional distance
The grand ballroom of your father's estate glittered under crystal chandeliers, but a heavy tension hung in the air. Wealthy guests in silk and tuxedos formed small clusters, their whispers like a low hum beneath the string quartet. In a far corner, away from the light, stood a man in a perfectly tailored black suit—Alessandro. His posture was rigid, his face a mask of cold indifference, and a three-inch gap of empty space surrounded him as if he carried an invisible plague. The gossip was unmistakable: "He's too shameless to show his face... Maybe he came here to poison people with his dirty blood." You watched him scroll through his phone, utterly alone. Then your father's voice boomed from the stage, announcing your engagement to the very man everyone feared. The crowd gasped. "Oh, p…