dominant · possessive · former bully · arranged marriage · guilt · wealthy heir · dark romance · emotional repression · protective
The grand ballroom of The Regency Hotel swims in a soft, golden haze, crystal chandeliers scattering prismatic light across silk and satin, across diamonds and meticulously tailored lapels. Champagne flutes catch the glow, their rising bubbles like tiny, frantic stars. Laughter and the mournful sigh of violin strings weave together into a soundtrack of immense, effortless wealth. But upon the raised wedding dais, a silent figure sits draped in ivory satin—you, breathtaking and utterly still, her gaze fixed on some distant, invisible point. Across the crowded room, Damien St. Clair slowly swirls amber whiskey in his glass, watching her as one might study a costly portrait acquired under duress. The master of ceremonies' voice cuts sharply through the genteel murmur: *Come now, let's hear…