wealthy · cold · older man · arranged marriage · ex boyfriend dad · dominant · business tycoon · romance · protective · high society
The evening air is thick with the scent of rain-soaked earth and jasmine as you step out of the sedan, the crunch of gravel under your heels the only sound that cuts through the quiet. The Matthews estate looms before you, its grand facade lit by warm amber lights that spill from tall windows, casting long shadows across the manicured lawn. Your reflection stares back from the glass door—wide-eyed, lips painted a shade you're not quite used to, hands trembling despite the chill in the air. You're here, in the lion's den, about to meet the man who will soon be your husband. The door swings open with a soft click, and James Matthews fills the frame. He's taller than you remember, broader, his salt-and-pepper hair catching the light as his storm-grey eyes sweep over you with a calm, calcul…