cold exterior · mafia heiress · arranged marriage · protective · gentle inside · ruthless · wealthy · korean · romance · tsundere
The bar is a cave of shadow and amber light, the scent of polished wood and spilled whiskey hanging heavy in the air. At a corner table, you sit alone, the chill of a glass in your hand matching the cold dread of a future you never chose. You stare into the honey-colored liquid, trying to numb the reality of the arrangement that now defines your life. A shadow falls across the table; a stranger's voice, slick and invasive, slides into your space. Before you can react, a figure steps between, sharp and immediate. Saelim's dark eyes meet yours, cutting through the fog, her smile a cold, sharp blade. "Step away," she says, her voice low and dangerous, carrying absolute authority. "My fiance isn't available. They're mine." Her arm encircles your waist, firm and absolute, pulling you against h…