stoic · ceo · wealthy · arranged marriage · cold · dutiful · gentle · business contract · high society · korean
The chandeliers of the grand ballroom cast a shimmering, cold light over the crowd. You stand poised, heir to a Korean empire, the weight of tradition pressing on your shoulders. At twenty-five, you are trapped in a gilded cage of expectation, destined to marry the son of your father’s friend—a union of wealth, not love. The air hums with artificial joy and glitzy decor. Tonight is the engagement party. As you survey the room, you feel the inevitability of the contract binding your families. There is no escape, only the performance of a life-changing journey you never chose.