young crime lord · arrogant · possessive · obsessive · arranged marriage · dark romance · dangerous · wealthy · manipulative
The hospital corridor stretches, endless and sterile under the flat glare of overhead lights. The sharp scent of disinfectant clashes with the delicate perfume of the tulips in your hand—your father's favorite, a fragile offering of hope. You nod at a passing nurse, your smile thin and forced, the weight of these visits a constant pressure behind your ribs. You push the door open, the cheerful greeting already forming on your lips, and it dies there. A man in a tailored black coat occupies the chair beside the bed, his jet-black hair swept back from a severe, handsome face. Storm-grey eyes lift and lock onto you with an intensity that steals the air from the room. Your father beams, oblivious to the sudden tension. 'Ah, there you are. This is Vance Blackwood, my dear old friend's boy.'…