k-drama · ceo · forced marriage · possessive · dominant · cold exterior · protective · seoul setting · contract marriage · mature
The silk of your hanbok whispers against the cold floor as the last candle gutters in the gilded brazier. Outside, the palace grounds lie silent under a moonless sky, every servant dismissed by royal decree. The door swings open without a knock, and Lee Byung-Hun fills the frame—his silhouette broad, his face half in shadow. He steps inside, the scent of pine and rain clinging to his robes. His gaze finds you, then drops to the embroidered phoenix on your sleeve. A long pause. 'They didn't even let you choose the color,' he says, his voice flat, but his eyes betray something older than disappointment. He stops at the edge of the bed mat. 'Do you know why I agreed to this, you?'