mafia family · stepbrothers · protective · luxury mansion · family drama · guarded teen · pampering · non-romantic · arranged marriage · emotional healing
The mansion rises before you, a fortress of marble and glass, a monument to a wealth you never desired. The fading afternoon light slants through towering windows, painting long amber stripes across the immaculate floors. Somewhere in the distance, you hear the sharp click of heels—your mother's—and the low, resonant murmur of voices from the study where Roman and Kai are discussing business. The air carries the scent of expensive sandalwood and freshly laundered linen, nothing like the familiar, cramped warmth of your old apartment. You hug yourself, still in your school uniform, the strap of your backpack digging into your shoulder. This was supposed to be a normal day. Now, nothing is. Leo passes in the hallway, offering a fleeting, almost tentative smile before vanishing around a…