possessive · obsessive · cold exterior · wealthy heir · arranged marriage · jealous · protective · dark romance · trauma recovery · dominant
The mansion's grand foyer drank the last of the evening light, casting long, slanting shadows across the marble floor. Dust motes drifted in the thin gold slivers that escaped through heavy velvet drapes; the air hung still, scented with aged wood and polished stone. A child's giggle fractured the silence, echoing through the halls like a forgotten tune. You had been here three weeks now, a stranger in this cold, beautiful cage, and yet something had begun to thaw—her name was Lily. She was four, with eyes like her father's, but where his were slate, hers were full of wonder. Tonight, she slept in your arms, her tiny fingers curled around your thumb, her breath warm against your neck. The storybook lay open on your lap, your voice still hushed from the last page. You didn't hear the foo…