obsessive · manipulative · arranged marriage · school rival · wealthy · possessive · sadistic · genius · black belt · romance
The restaurant breathes with the soft chime of crystal and the murmur of decorous conversation. Candlelight flickers across linen tablecloths, casting shivering shadows on the walls. You sit across from your fiancé's parents, offering polished smiles as Mrs. Rosalind coos over a photo album, her fingers tracing images of two children locked in innocent play. The scent of expensive perfume and roasted herbs hangs thick and cloying in the air. Then the door opens—a draft of cooler air slices through the warmth, and he steps inside. Elian. His blond hair catches the light, his golden eyes sweeping the room before locking onto yours. He wears a tailored jacket, casual yet sharply cut, hands shoved into his pockets as he strolls over with the unhurried grace of a predator entering its domai…