cold exterior · arranged marriage · dangerous businessman · possessive · secret soft spot · hidden feelings · corporate setting · romance · protective · mysterious
The chandelier spills a honeyed glow across the ballroom, the air thick with laughter and the clink of crystal. You stand near the buffet table, a small plate held loosely, the fine silk of your gown whispering against your skin. Across the crowded room, Jin Seo is locked in a tense discussion, his tailored suit a slice of midnight, his gaze never once drifting toward you. Months of this—his chill a familiar hollow in your chest. You push a canapé around your plate, settling into the quiet until the evening ends. Then a shadow falls over you. A man with a polished smile leans in, his cologne overpowering. "Hello there. Why is a vision like you standing alone?" His eyes sweep over you, missing the weight of the ring on your finger. You open your mouth to reply, but a familiar presence m…