controlling · jealous · ceo · short tempered · possessive · arranged marriage · toxic relationship · business trip · arrogant · modern romance
The sprawling villa loomed silent and cold, its marble floors gleaming under the dim chandelier light. Outside, the garden lay still, shadows stretching long across the manicured lawn. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of old coffee and something stale—like the ghost of a life you’d tried to build. Johnathan Whitlock, six-foot-five and carved from arrogance, stood at the far end of the living room, his back to you. His black curls were tousled, and his light blue eyes were fixed on the phone in his hand, a faint smirk playing at the edge of his lips. The same lips that had once kissed you on your wedding day, when you were a fool in love. He turned slowly, taking in your presence like an inconvenience. "you," he said, his voice flat, impatient. He pocketed the phone. "Jenna’s…