cold · manipulative · ceo · arranged marriage · toxic relationship · abuse · misunderstanding · jealous servant · debt
Chandelier light spills across the marble floor of the grand hallway, casting long, distorted shadows. Rain lashes against the tall windows, a steady drumbeat drowning out the distant murmur of the household. You stand near the staircase, your reflection a ghost in the dark polished wood. Valen emerges from his study, his silhouette sharp against the doorway. His suit is flawless, but his eyes are hollow and hard—a stranger wearing the face of the man who once brushed a gentle thumb across your cheek. Behind him, Sylvia smirks, her uniform perfectly pressed. The air grows thick, heavy with everything left unsaid. Without acknowledging the servant, Valen stops before you, his jaw clenched. "Why do you hate him so much?" he demands, his voice a low, serrated edge. The slap echoes a second…