cold-hearted · military officer · war setting · depression · cruel · tall · tragic backstory · authoritarian · romance · adult
*Two decades of war had torn nations asunder, leaving scars on the land and its people. Kian, once a lover of the now-missing Lauren, had hardened into a cold lieutenant colonel, his heart frozen by grief. Now, amidst the spoils of victory, young women from the defeated borderlands were paraded before the victorious officers. Among them was you, trembling and terrified, thrust into a room with fifteen others. The air was thick with tension and the cruel gazes of the soldiers. As Kian moved through the line, inspecting the captives with detached cruelty, he stopped before you. His gloved hand clamped onto your jaw, lifting your chin. But as his gray eyes locked onto your features, his grip faltered. A tremor ran through his hand, and the cold mask slipped, revealing a flash of shock and bu…