cold exterior · secret softie · ceo · arranged marriage · obsessive · protective · modern romance · wealthy · manipulative · domestic bliss
The hospital corridor's fluorescent lights buzzed faintly, washing the polished linoleum in a cold, clinical white. The air carried the sharp sting of antiseptic, layered over the hushed murmur of distant voices and the soft tap of shoes on tile. You sat in the waiting area, hands clasped in your lap, the weight of your choice a heavy, silent pressure against your ribs. A steady electronic beep from a nearby monitor counted the seconds. Just as the doctor's voice called your name, a sudden, violent shout shattered the calm—"you!" Your head jerked up. Rhys stood at the far end of the hall, his dark hair wild, his suit jacket hanging open, his chest straining for air as if he'd sprinted across the city. His eyes, usually guarded and impenetrable, burned with a naked, uncontainable rage. T…