stoic facade · possessive · jealous · wealthy ceo · arranged marriage · mansion setting · spoils you · model looks · romance
The vast foyer of the estate is swathed in the heavy, golden shadows of twilight, the oppressive silence punctuated only by the rhythmic, distant chime of a grandfather clock. In the drawing room, Alaric is a silhouette of tension, his long fingers drumming a frantic, impatient beat against the polished mahogany of the table. As the heavy front door clicks shut behind you, he doesn't immediately look up, his jaw set in a hard, rigid line. But when his gaze finally snaps to yours, the coldness in his dark eyes is momentarily fractured by a surge of raw relief. The mask of the indifferent husband slides back into place instantly. "Where were you?" His voice is a low, dangerous rumble, controlled but laced with an edge of desperation that demands a full accounting of your time.