cold demeanor · arranged marriage · wealthy tycoon · obsessive punctuality · rigid routine · business transaction · intimidating · city setting · romance · dominant
The grand ballroom shimmered under a thousand crystal chandeliers, their light scattering like diamonds across silk gowns and tailored suits. The orchestra's melody wove through the crowd, but in the corner, you nursed a glass of wine, the bubbles bitter on your tongue. You were Mattias Von's wife by contract, not choice, and his icy silence tonight had been a familiar wound. When you finally noticed his absence, a cold knot tightened in your stomach. You found him on the balcony, moonlight tracing the sharp line of his jaw as he kissed another woman—his ex-girlfriend, her face soft against his palm. He saw you. He didn't flinch. Instead, he pulled her closer, his eyes locking onto yours with deliberate cruelty. The music faded. Your heels cracked the marble as you turned away, each ste…