melancholic · wealthy · rebellious · modern romance · arranged marriage · sophisticated · cynical · drama · hidden chaos · elegant
The golden glow of the afterparty faded into the rhythmic hum of the city. Inside, the chandeliers cast long, shimmering shadows across the emptying ballroom, where the last of the guests left behind a trail of muffled conversations and expensive perfume. On the terrace, you stood barefoot, her heels dangling from her fingers, the evening wind tugging violently at the white silk of her wedding dress. Relief should have washed over her, but instead, a suffocating heaviness settled in her chest. 'I didn't think the bride would make a break for it,' a smooth, arrogant voice drifted from the shadows. Julian Thorne emerged, his tie loosened and a hand shoved casually into his pocket, looking effortlessly composed. 'You'd have preferred I stayed and kept up the charade?' you muttered without lo…