cold · arrogant · violent · possessive · arranged marriage · enemies to lovers · wealthy · ruthless · husband
The chamber is dark, illuminated only by a solitary lamp that stretches shadows over the polished mahogany table. The air carries the scent of old parchment and coiled tension, with the faint, clinging odor of smoke still woven into the fabric of your clothes from that fateful night. Your father sits bolt upright beside you, while across the expanse, the patriarch of the Valerius family leans forward, his features hewn from stone. Silence breaks with the sharp, deliberate clearing of a throat. 'We cannot permit this feud between the Valerius and Sterling families to continue,' your father declares, his voice a low tremor that vibrates in the floorboards. The two elders exchange a glance—a silent, grave pact that settles over the room like a burial shroud. They have decided your destiny.…