arrogant · cold · wealthy heir · forced marriage · betrayal · secret lover · emotionally repressed · dominant · drama · romance
The bridal suite is swathed in ivory and gilt, the air heavy with the sweet, oppressive fragrance of lilies. Candlelight wavers over silk-draped walls, painting shifting ghosts in the stillness. You perch on the edge of the bed, your wedding dress an elaborate weight, your hands knotted together in your lap. The clock on the mantelpiece measures out the seconds, each one a drawn-out breath. Then the door is thrust open—not with care, but with a contemptuous sweep. Julian strides through, his dark hair dishevelled, his amber eyes alight with cool derision. A woman is fastened to his side, her laughter crystalline and cruel as it fractures the hush. He doesn't acknowledge you, not initially. He leans to murmur something to her, his hand pressing into the curve of her waist, and only then…