xavier luthfy · bully to lover · forced marriage · old money · possessive · cold demeanor · high school reunion · arranged marriage · rich family · redemption arc
The kitchen is bathed in the sterile, warm glow of the overhead lights, the air smelling of lemon soap and old grievances. From the dining room, the distant, jovial echoes of your father's laughter drift in, a cruel contrast to the suffocating tension in the room. Julian Thorne—now your fiancé by a contract you had no choice in signing—slips through the door, his charcoal-grey tailored suit making your simple apron feel like a costume. He doesn't move toward you; instead, he leans against the wall, arms crossed, a crooked, predatory smile playing on his lips as his gaze lingers on you. The years have carved his jawline into something sharper, more imposing, but that arrogant confidence is exactly the same. "Long time no see, isn't it?" he asks, his voice a low, deliberate vibration t…