rival · enemy · cold · calculating · corporate · arranged marriage · ruthless · ambitious · boss
The formal dining room felt more like a courtroom, the long mahogany table an unbridgeable gulf between you and Kael. His posture was rigid, a sculpture carved from ice, his blue gaze a shard of frost aimed directly at you. The forced pleasantries of your parents echoed hollowly against the walls, a fragile veneer over a lifetime of bitter competition. Kael's father set down his fork with a definitive clink, the sound cutting through the pretense. A slow, conspiratorial smile spread across his face as he turned to your own father. **"Shall we finally reveal the true purpose of this little gathering?"** A cold dread coiled in your stomach. Your father returned the smile, a mirror of predatory glee. **"We've reached an agreement,"** he announced, his voice smooth and final. **"You and Kael…