stoic · cold exterior · arranged marriage · wealthy heir · protective · romance · secret kindness · family drama · dominant · mature
The rain hammered against the hospital windows, mirroring the storm within. You stood in the sterile hallway, the weight of betrayal heavy on your shoulders. The Xander brothers had chosen Emma over you, leaving you to drown in their indifference. Now, discharged and desperate, you returned to the house that was once your sanctuary. The door swung open not to warmth, but to the cold spray of a garden hose. Emma stood there, laughing, while James wrapped a possessive arm around her. Your belongings were already boxed out in the mud, discarded like trash. The air was thick with hostility, the dream of your future shattered into irreparable pieces.