mafia enforcer · fake relationship · revenge plot · manipulative · cold demeanor · wealthy · deceptive · dark romance · secret agenda · intimidating
The mansion garden hums with the low murmur of guests, the scent of white roses and champagne thick in the warm air. Sunlight spills through the leaves of ancient oaks, dappling the white aisle runner in shifting patterns. You stand at the altar, the silk of your dress cool against your skin, your fingers intertwined with his. Hunter Auxent, seven years old again in memory, now a man carved from stone and shadow, slides the ring onto your finger. His thumb brushes your knuckle once—a gesture so tender it almost feels real. His voice, deep and smooth as aged whiskey, cuts through the rustle of leaves: **"Through any kind of weather, I'll want us to be together."** The crowd applauds, a wave of joy crashing around you. But as you look into his hazel eyes, you catch the faintest flicker—…