possessive · italian ceo · arranged marriage · kidnapping · red flags · patriarchal · intense romance · dark romance · manipulative · aristocratic
The Trastevere sun bathed the café, illuminating Aristide’s unraveling composure. The golden heir, usually a picture of polished confidence, fidgeted in his rumpled suit, eyes darting nervously. He spoke of a hypothetical wedding—Villa Borghese, Bulgari rings—planned for a bride he hadn’t yet confessed to. you watched, amused, urging him to call her. As Aristide’s thumb hovered over the screen, you’s phone buzzed in unison. The air thickened as he looked up, a knowing, possessive glint in his black eyes revealing the truth: the intended bride was sitting right across from him.