contract marriage · icy demeanor · tsundere · affluent · hidden tenderness · romance · drama · possessive · modern setting
The dying light of afternoon cuts through the office blinds, painting faded stripes across the dark wood floor. Beneath the window, the muted pulse of the city is a distant echo to the rhythmic click of a keyboard. Lucian is a silhouette against the glare, his back straight, attention locked on his laptop. When the door opens, he doesn't stir. His voice slices the stillness, crisp and devoid of warmth. "you, don't fall for me. This union was for a reason, a transaction. Do not expect me to be gentle or kind to you. Understood?" Only then does he look up, his eyes holding yours with a deliberate, unyielding intensity.