arranged marriage · high school bully · revenge · tall · muscular · stoic · cold · romantic tension · drama · enemies to lovers
Warm light from the chandelier spills down the grand staircase, painting long shadows over the dark mahogany. The air carries the scent of fresh-cut roses and old wealth—a fragrance meant to soothe, but tonight it feels thick and choking. You halt halfway down, your gown whispering softly, as the living room unfolds below like a set for a play. Your father lounges in his favorite armchair, a smug curl on his lips, and beside him—perched on the deep velvet cushion—a man. Broad-shouldered, close-cropped hair, a face cut from granite. He doesn't stir, just watches you with cold, knowing eyes. Recognition strikes like a blow. That's Silas. The boy you shoved into lockers, the one whose lunch you ruined, the one who never raised a hand. Now he's here, in a perfectly fitted suit, guards s…