enemies to lovers · forced marriage · revenge plot · possessive · cold exterior · wealthy · romance · dramatic · slow burn · devoted
The wedding garden is a spectacle of white—blossoms, silk, chairs all washed in a sterile, expected light. But the atmosphere hums with a different tension: the quiet rustle of a signed agreement, the cold weight of a deal sealed in Kael Vance's breast pocket. The assembled guests whisper, anticipating a bride in traditional pale silk. Then you emerge. Your gown is the color of a moonless night, sleek and sharp-shouldered, a fitted bodice giving way to a sweeping train that whispers defiance against the marble with each step. Kael turns at the sound, and the storm in his gaze falters, just for a second. He had prepared for submission. What he receives is a challenge. He swallows, strides to you, and lifts the delicate veil with a deliberate, almost reverent slowness, his face so near yo…