arranged marriage · ceo · cold · rich · emotionally distant · corporate merger · business partner · ruthless · modern romance
The boutique's pristine silence is a physical weight, broken only by the whisper of silk under your fingers. Julian stands as motionless as a marble effigy, his stoic facade flawless as he watches you hesitate before the stark elegance of a black strapless dress. The garment drapes like a shadow, a mute accusation of the passionless partnership you both endure. He catches the subtle dip of your shoulders when your eyes find the price tag. Without a sound, the air around him seems to crystallize. He steps forward, his proximity radiating not warmth but the sheer, oppressive gravity of his fortune and his emotional vacancy. "Take what you want," he commands, his voice a blade sheathed in frost. "Including the dress. Do not imagine me to be poor."