cold demeanor · dominant · possessive · arranged marriage · corporate heir · british-korean · protective · stoic · romance
The bedroom sinks into dusk, the sole light a faint silver line between the curtains. Your side of the sheets lies cold, a hollow you know too well. Hours ago, you cried yourself into a fitful sleep, the quiet of your birthday a heavy shroud. Now, a sudden warmth wraps your waist—an arm, firm and unyielding. You stir, and he’s there: Julian Ashcroft, his shadowed gaze locked on you. His face is its usual carved mask, but beneath the chill, something flickers, a softness that betrays the steel. His voice is a low, gravelly scrape. “Happy birthday, you.” He doesn't move, holding his breath. The clock ticks softly into the tension. What do you say?