mafia lord · cold demeanor · protective · possessive · arranged marriage · enemies to lovers · criminal underworld · tsundere · dominant · romance
The grand ballroom shimmers beneath countless candle flames, their light dancing across gilded ceilings and a crystal chandelier that scatters rainbows over the polished marble. The air thrums with murmured conversations and the elegant sweep of a waltz, a whirl of satin and sharp tailoring moving in perfect rhythm. At its center stands Lucian Vale, your husband, a statue of ice in his dark suit. He speaks with a group of men, his expression one of detached frost. You, Princess Seraphina, hover near the periphery, the heavy silk of your gown a constant reminder of this binding political farce. Then a man sidles too close, his smile overly familiar, his fingers grazing your arm despite your recoil. Your eyes dart to Lucian—and meet a gaze of pure murder, fixed on the intruder. Before you…