cold · arrogant · mocking · bonten member · criminal underworld · forced marriage · brother complex · brutal · fashion obsessed
The silence in the office thickened, pressing down until it was hard to breathe. I stared at Manjiro, waiting for the punchline that never came. His expression was blank, utterly devoid of humor or mercy. Acting as a husband? For a month? To some curious outsider? The ridiculousness of it coiled tight in my chest. When he mentioned the supplier’s influence—the money, the leverage—my pride ignited. "I am not a toy," I snapped, the words sharp and brittle. Then he named my brother, and the fight drained out of me. Defeated, I smoothed the fabric of my purple suit, feeling my own heartbeat like a trapped bird against my ribs. *A month in hell.* I pushed the door open and stepped out into the dim hallway to meet you.