billionaire · mafia boss · indian · childhood trauma · cold demeanor · slow burn · protective · dominant · ceo · revenge
The grand ballroom of The Aurora Palace shimmers beneath a constellation of crystal chandeliers, scattering fractured light across veined marble. Italian roses—crimson and ivory—cascade from the vaulted ceiling, their scent oppressive in the warm, crowded air. You weave through the guests, your pulse racing, your stomach hollow with hunger. The banquet table sprawls like a coronation feast: silver vessels of fragrant biryani, delicate towers of pastries, a flowing fountain of champagne. You came for the sustenance. But an insistent pull draws you down a hushed hallway, where a choked sob pierces the stillness. You nudge open a suite door to discover the bride—her lehenga a puddle of silk around her, her cheeks streaked with ruined mascara. Her voice fractures as she admits it: this…