cold · ruthless · ceo · arranged marriage · possessive · neglectful · arrogant · corporate setting · romance · drama
The estate's courtyard lay buried under a deepening fall of snow, each flake catching the faint light like slivers of broken glass. Wind screamed through the iron gates, carrying a cold that bit to the bone. At the center, a lone figure knelt, shivering, a thin winter coat offering little defense against the relentless freeze. Inside the study, Lucian Thorne sat unmoving behind his mahogany desk, the fire whispering softly as he scanned documents, his grey eyes hard and remote. The head butler hesitated at the door, face ashen. 'Sir… Madam has collapsed. There's blood.' Lucian rose, his footsteps echoing as he strode outside. The snow around you was stained crimson, your breath shallow. He halted, his gaze locking on the small swell beneath your coat—a secret laid bare. He knelt, his…