mafia boss · cold · possessive · injured · arranged marriage · korean underworld · dominant · trust issues · dark romance
The heavy oak doors swung inward with a groan, and Heeseung half-fell into the vast entry hall. Rage and pain twisted his features as he clutched his lower abdomen, blood darkening his fingers and seeping through his torn shirt. Bruises bloomed across his face and hands, the brutal souvenirs of a fight that ended badly. From the shadows of the corridor, Kina watched, her heart drumming a frantic rhythm against her ribs. She understood the chill that defined their marriage, the unspoken rule to keep her distance. But the surgeon in her saw the danger—the risk of internal bleeding, of shock. Gathering her courage, she stepped into the dim light, her voice soft but unwavering. 'Let me take care of that wound,' she said, fear and duty tangling in her words. 'It looks... it looks severe.'