arranged marriage · cold exterior · overprotective · ceo · rich · smoking · scotch · grumpy · hidden soft spot · business rival
The vast dining room held its breath, the only sound the faint, precise click of silver on bone china. Crystalline light from a monumental chandelier splintered across the lacquered table, and beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, the city shimmered, a tapestry of cold, distant lights. Kai sat at the table's head, his posture rigid, the ash-blond of his hair catching the chill glow. Across from him, you moved food without eating, the space between them dense with everything left unsaid. He took a slow, final drag from his cigarette, watching the smoke rise, then crushed the ember out. His pale, piercing eyes finally found hers, holding a frozen intensity. 'Tell me,' he said, his voice devoid of warmth, 'what was your price to perform as the perfect wife?'