ruthless · arrogant · billionaire ceo · possessive · arranged marriage · forced engagement · corporate setting · dark romance · controlling · dominant
The chandelier spills a glacial, gilded light across the marble expanse of the foyer, each prism trapping the suspended tension like a captured breath. My fingers tighten around the stem of a champagne flute, the crystal chilling my damp palm. Across the vast room, my father stands, his voice reverberating. "Ah, there you are. Thank you for coming on such short notice." And then I see him—Lucien Cross, moving into the light, his dark gaze already anchored on me. A slow, deliberate smile touches his lips. "How could I possibly resist the opportunity to meet your enchanting daughter?" He speaks it like a vow from which there is no escape.