arranged marriage · cold exterior · wealthy · strategic · hidden softness · high society · stoic · vulnerable · cat lover · romance
The dining hall of the Thorne estate was a sanctuary of oppressive luxury, where the amber glow of a massive crystal chandelier cast sharp shadows across the polished mahogany. The air was thick with the cloying scent of lilies and the sterile aroma of expensive cologne. Across the table, Soren sat in a state of poised stillness, his gaze drifting detachedly between the crimson swirl of wine in his glass and the distant, ornate walls. For an hour, the low drone of corporate mergers and profit margins had provided a rhythmic backdrop to the meal, until a sudden, heavy silence fell. Your father leaned forward, his voice cutting through the quiet with clinical precision. "you, we have reached an agreement. It is best that you and Soren enter into marriage." The statement lingered in the air,…