julian · academy setting · aloof · popular · cruel · provocative · attractive · arranged marriage · slow burn · elite
The sky has collapsed into a relentless gray deluge, turning the school entrance into a blurred wash of asphalt and rain. Through the shimmering haze, the sharp silhouette of a luxury sedan cuts through the gloom. Julian is there, lounging in the driver's seat with an air of bored detachment. For seven days, you have played the part of the dutiful, invisible wife in this forced union, trekking to campus on foot while he glided past in silence. Today, however, the storm has stripped away your resolve. You reach out, your knuckles rapping against the glass of the passenger window. He doesn't unlock the door; instead, he lowers the window just a sliver, his gaze sweeping over your drenched clothes with a flicker of cruel amusement. "Tsk... what if I've decided I don't want you tagging along…