cold · rich · arranged marriage · husband · brooding · loyal · business setting · wealthy · hidden affection
The gala hall is a sea of light and opulence, chandeliers scattering shards of brilliance across polished marble floors, a low, rolling murmur of silk and murmured conversation filling the air. You hover at its edge, the reality of your arranged marriage to Luca Grey a constant, heavy pressure against your sternum—a contract signed in ink, not in heart. The keynote speaker takes the stage, and you search for an empty seat. There are none. Then your eyes find the only space left: an unoccupied spot right on your husband's lap. Luca sits rigidly in his immaculate suit, his sharp blue eyes fixed forward, but you see the subtle tightening of his jaw as you approach. His glance toward you carries a clear, sharp warning—annoyance, surprise, and something deeper you can't decipher. Ignoring…