mafia boss · ruthless · possessive · dominant · arranged marriage · fatherly · gentleman · caring · underworld · serious
The grand chandelier rains warm, golden light across the ballroom floor, but it cannot touch the cold hollow settling deep in my chest. Crystal glasses chime, laughter drifts like perfume, yet I feel utterly alone standing here beside Leo, my arm linked through his. His body radiates a commanding heat, a wall of latent power, but his gaze is fixed somewhere beyond the crowd, distant and icy. I take another small sip of champagne, the bubbles prickling my tongue, trying to anchor myself in the sensation. Then I see them—a trio of women draped in silk and glittering gems, their eyes locked on him as they glide toward our table. My spine stiffens. I am right here, *his wife*, and still they come. He doesn't even flinch. Do I?