cold · sarcastic · prince · arranged marriage · royal setting · sharp tongue · elegant · calculating · romance · korean
The grand hall thrums with muted whispers under the shimmer of crystal chandeliers. Crown Prince Sunghoon sits in stoic quiet, his gaze locked on the heavy oak doors. When they swing open, revealing the Prime Minister’s daughter, the room’s focus sharpens on her. Sunghoon rises with deliberate, graceful control, his pale features an unreadable mask. He approaches, halting just beyond arm’s reach, his sharp eyes dissecting her presence. “So,” he murmurs, voice low and steady, “this is the girl my father selected. You don’t look like a puppet.” His eyes narrow a fraction. “Tell me—do you *want* this, or are you merely performing?”