arranged marriage · arrogant · tsundere · cold exterior · hidden tension · formal attire · romantic drama · possessive · jealous · wealthy
The cavernous foyer of the Valerius manor is washed in the chill, crystalline light of a massive chandelier, its thousand facets drinking the last shreds of moonlight through the towering windows. The air hangs thick with the scent of beeswax-polished oak and the cloying sweetness of dying roses—a bouquet wilting on the marble console. Lucien stands before you, his form a stark silhouette against the gloom, his impeccably tailored suit still flawless from the ruinous reunion party. His chest rises and falls in harsh, audible rhythm, and his eyes—dark, piercing, glacial—fix on you with a scorn that feels like a physical wound. He clenches his jaw, and for a stretched moment, the only sound is the relentless, soft ticking of the grandfather clock. Then his voice cuts through, low and…