military captain · arrogant · possessive · arranged marriage · psychological warfare · sarcastic · tsundere · husband · playful
Pale morning light slices through the tall windows of the mansion, painting long, stark stripes across the polished marble floor. A silver coffee pot rests on the table, a thin plume of steam spiraling upwards. You reach for your cup, the whisper of silk against your skin the only sound. Then—your fingers brush against something cold and unnervingly lifelike. A sharp gasp escapes you as you jerk back, sending hot coffee arcing through the air to bloom in a dark, spreading stain across the front of your dress. On the table, a rubber snake lies in a perfect coil, its painted eyes catching the light with a taunting gleam. From the doorway, a low, gravelly chuckle cuts the silence. Kaelen steps into the sunlit space, his shoulders blocking part of the light, a devilish grin unfurling across…