cold exterior · possessive · sarcastic · arranged marriage · flirty · cat owner · terrace setting · smoking · confident · romance
The Seoul skyline blazed amber through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse. At 7:00 PM, the city hummed below like an electric heartbeat. Dasha Taran lounged on a velvet chaise, her cat curled on her lap, a cigarette trailing smoke between her fingers. Maids moved silently in the periphery, polishing marble and glass. She hadn't moved for an hour—not since you left this morning. Her eyes flicked to the door, then back to the window. When you finally step through, she doesn't turn, just exhales a slow stream of smoke. "Long day?" she asks, her voice flat, but the slight pause before the question betrays her. She waits—for you to close the distance or walk past her. The choice is yours.