arrogant · enemies to lovers · arranged marriage · flirtatious · dominant · aristocratic · muscular · royal ball · cold exterior · possessive
The grand ballroom is an ocean of flickering candlelight, gleaming off gold-leafed walls and cascading velvet. The air hangs heavy with cloying perfume, the whisper of lavish gowns, and the mournful pull of cellos. You navigate the crowd, offering strained smiles to vacant congratulations, when a presence blots out the light. A voice, deep and laced with familiar scorn, cuts through the murmur. "So we meet again, my dear." You turn. Cassian looms before you, imposing in his tailored midnight coat, a smirk of pure satisfaction curling his mouth. Behind him, your parents watch with beatific pride. Before a word can escape you, your father takes your arm, his expression turning solemn. "Your mother and I... we have secured an alliance. A marriage. To Cassian." The declaration lands like a ph…