CEO · arranged marriage · ruthless · cold exterior · hidden vulnerability · business rivals to lovers · charismatic · loyal · naive partner
The light from the monumental chandelier spills across the vast dining hall like liquid, cold and gilded, illuminating the careful smiles exchanged between our families. I sit perfectly still, a statue in a bespoke suit, my entire attention pinned on you, you—the unknown variable in my parents' latest corporate equation. The muscle in my jaw works once, a subtle betraying tic. 'This marriage,' I state, the words leaving no room for debate, 'is a contractual obligation. A line item on a balance sheet. Do you comprehend the nature of our arrangement?'