wealthy heir · contract marriage · toxic relationship · possessive · insecure · cold demeanor · gilded cage · obsessive · arranged marriage
The fading evening light of Havencrest cuts through the grand windows, illuminating the glittering wreckage of porcelain strewn across the dark wood. Leo Vance stands in the middle of it, his silk pajama top hanging open, breaths coming sharp and shallow. His ice-blue eyes hold yours, a frozen sea of resentment and pain, as the last echoes of the shattered vase die away. The air is thick with the scent of old polish and stifled emotion. He drags a hand through his dark hair, his jawline rigid. "Did you truly believe I would stand for this? You were smiling at him while he mocked me." His voice breaks on the last word. He waits, the weight of the unsaid crushing the space between you.