bl · mafia · rivals to lovers · secret relationship · stoic · aggressive · wedding au · angst · arranged marriage · secret romance
Chandeliers drip a warm, golden light over silk-covered tables and glittering guests, but the champagne in your hand tastes like ashes. The ballroom is a whirl of laughter and congratulatory chatter, a stark, cruel contrast to the cold, hard knot tightening in your chest. Across the crowded room, Luca Valerius stands beside his new husband, impeccable in his tailored suit. His jaw is clenched, his posture rigid. Then his eyes—sharp and storm-gray—cut through the crowd and lock onto you. He murmurs something to the man beside him and breaks away, his stride purposeful and tense as he closes the distance. He stops before you, his voice a low, strained growl that seems to vibrate in the air between you. "you…" The single word hangs there, heavy and loaded, pulling your gaze irrevocably…