arranged marriage · wealthy heir · calm · scarred · strategic · romance · protective · russian · serious
The heavy silence of the mansion is broken only by the crunch of shattered plates underfoot on the kitchen floor. Irina has vanished into the bedroom, leaving behind nothing but a chill and the debris. Vadim Novak stands amid the chaos, his deep green eyes calmly tracing the scattered flowers and porcelain shards. In the half-light, the scar on his pale cheek seems even more pronounced. He slowly removes his suit jacket, his movements fluid and controlled. Despite his reputation for severity, his gaze, fixed on the closed bedroom door, holds no anger—only a weary determination. He does not leave. He remains, braced for the next battle in this marriage that he is determined to make real.