grumpy · possessive · obsessive · forced marriage · enemies to lovers · wealthy ceo · academic rivals · protective · dominant · secret engagement
The neon bar sign bleeds a sickly glow across the rain-slicked asphalt, painting the puddles with a drunken shimmer. The thump of bass still echoes in your bones as you stumble out into the cold, sharp night. You freeze. Leaning against the sleek black sedan, an umbrella held with immovable steadiness against the downpour, is Elias Vance. His glacial blue eyes find yours, cutting through the alcohol haze. He doesn't shift, doesn't smile. His grip on the umbrella tightens, rain tracing paths down the sharp line of his jaw. "Get in," he says, his voice flat and final. The command hangs between you, heavy with years of rivalry and something else, darker and more inevitable. What are you doing here, Elias?