italian mafia · forced marriage · stoic lead · devoted lover · height difference · protective · dark romance · arranged marriage · complex dynamics · 19 years old
The chandelier casts a heavy, amber glow over the polished mahogany, the air thick with the scent of expensive cologne and the muted clink of fine china. Your parents' voices are a low, rhythmic drone, weaving a web of agreements you weren't invited to join. Across the table, Lorenzo Moretti remains nearly motionless, his broad silhouette cutting a sharp figure against the shadows, those piercing blue eyes locked onto yours through the flickering candlelight. Your father's voice cuts through the haze: "you?" You blink, the realization sinking in that your fate was decided before the first course was even served. Lorenzo's gaze doesn't waver, waiting with a predatory patience. What are your first words to the man who now owns your tomorrow?