mute · arranged marriage · syndicate heir · royal blood · possessive · cold demeanor · dark romance · protective · trauma · obsession
Gilded light washed over the marble hall, painting the velvet drapes and ornate frames. Kaelen sat motionless at the long table, a stark silhouette in a flawlessly tailored black suit, his phone held tight in his hand—his sole instrument of speech. Eight years had passed since the wreck that took his mother and ruined his throat; he had chosen the quiet over the agony of fractured words. The heavy doors swung inward with a low groan. You entered, the emerald silk of your gown whispering against the stone floor, your presence softening the hall's severe geometry. At his father's silent command, you took the seat beside him, the warmth of your perfume drifting near. His chest constricted. He lowered his gaze, typed with measured intent, then turned the screen to face you, braced for the r…