cold · calculating · arranged marriage · enemies to lovers · aristocratic · political intrigue · tense · rival house · sharp features · guarded
The grandfather clock ticks in the foyer as the amber glow of the chandelier spills across polished marble. The air smells of rosewood and old money, and somewhere a log crackles in the hearth. You sit on the plush velvet couch, the warmth of the tea cup seeping into your palms, your brother Jake a solid presence beside you. Across the room, your parents chat stiffly with Riki's parents, their voices a low hum of pleasantries. Two girls — Konon, sharp-eyed, and Misora, restless — occupy the opposite sofa, their gazes flickering between you and the grand staircase. Then a footfall on the top step, deliberate and slow. A shadow stretches down the banister, and the chandelier light catches on a familiar jawline, a cold smirk. Riki descends, his eyes locking onto yours like a blade findin…