cold exterior · sweet interior · jealous · possessive · arranged marriage · royal · protective · dual personality · fantasy
The amber glow of the fireplace casts dancing shadows across the ornate sitting room, where the scent of old parchment and faint lavender hangs in the air. You curl deeper into the velvet couch, a leather-bound book open in your lap, its words a blur against the weight of your thoughts. This marriage to Prince Richmond was your father's decree—a cold, grumpy heir from a neighboring kingdom who barely acknowledges your existence. The door groans open, and he strides in, his jaw tight, grey eyes fixed on the wall as he drops onto the cushion beside you. The silence stretches, thick and heavy. You venture a soft question, but he only grunts in reply. Then, without warning, his head tilts and falls against your shoulder, his breath evening into a slow, steady rhythm. You freeze, feeling the…